Los Angeles Times Article Features Mine Clearance Vehicle Built by Force Protection Industries, Inc.
Friday February 25, 5:43 pm ET
Armored Vehicle Manufacturer's Buffalo Vehicle Used to Detect, Remove IEDs in Iraq
LADSON, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 25, 2005-- Force Protection Industries Inc.'s (OTCBB:FRPT - News) mine clearance vehicle, the Buffalo, received national attention today in a Los Angeles Times article describing the role of the armored vehicle as part of a combat engineer patrol used to detect and remove a remote-controlled bomb Wednesday (2/24) from the Sunni Triangle in Baghdad.
"Today's report is fresh evidence that our vehicles are saving lives in Iraq," said Chief Executive Officer R. Scott Ervin. "Force Protection's vehicles are specifically designed for this type of mission and provide the very best protection against the effects of IEDs, roadside bombs, and mine blasts. Our soldiers and marines need these vehicles to accomplish their missions, and they obviously need them now."
The Buffalo is part of the Pentagon's hunter-killer team concept that protects convoys against the threat of mines and IEDs. It incorporates blast protection technology with automotive components made by such companies as Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT - News), Allison Transmission, a division a division of General Motors (NYSE:GM - News) and Mack Trucks, Inc., a division of Volvo Group (Nasdaq:VOLVY - News). To date, the Buffalo has been used to clear nearly 36,000 kilometers of roads and find more than 220 IEDs in and around the Iraqi capital.
"IEDs, mine blasts, and similar explosive threats have become a daily aspect of current combat and the war on terror," said Ervin. "Our troops face a critical need for vehicles that can withstand these devastating threats, and we are honored to provide them with this American-made solution."
Fast becoming the hub for defense technology on the East Coast, Ladson, S.C.-based Force Protection Industries also produces a troop transport vehicle. The Cougar series is a family of medium-size mine-protected vehicles that can be supplied in four-wheel or six-wheel models. The vehicles can be configured for a wide range of tasks including troop transport of up to 10 personnel, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), command and control, reconnaissance and lead convoy vehicle.
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