dez000
06-11-2004, 11:13 AM
From Magnée... till Flahaut
Does Sabiex get a Defense order worth 430 million Euros?
In 2004 and 2005, the Belgian Army will buy new material for an amout of 1.6 billion euro. They are also looking for replacements for the BMF (Belgian Mechanical Fabrication) armored infantry fightings vehicles of the type M113.
Minister of Defense André Flahaut (PS) will, like Vanden Boeynants did, most likely use a Walloon company (for economical purposes). They are thinking of replacing the BMF's vehicles with about 500 MultiPurpose Protected Vehciles (MPPV) of the type Iguana. This is a light armoured 4x4 vehicle build by the company Sabiex, a company in Vraine-l'Alleud which has got good recommandations with the Walloon goverment and the head members of the PS (= a politacal party). If they opt for Sabiex the federal goverment woulde go for a "made in Belgium" choise. The total ordre would be worth 430 million euro.
To ensure that Sabiex's vehicle meets the requirments, MOD has even lowered the needed financial limits of the candidates. Because French, German, British, South-Africans and even Australian competitors are hoping to get this contract. But there political-industrial networks aren't as strong as they use to be when compared to Sabiex (... With Belgium that is :) ). Sabiex also some strong arguments to convince the goverment... i.e. the mercedes engine in the Iguana is the same as the one in the Dingo - the famous German competitor... The Iguana has won before from other competitors, but the competion on the international weapon market keeps getting intenser.
This is something which Minister of Defence Flahaut will experience when het tries to sell the - soon to become - excesive material. Then Netherlands for instance is allready trying to sell more modern versions of the tanks the Belgium has, also the Alouettes wich the Swiss are trying to sell are more modern then the Belgian ones. The new NATO-members now allready think our old F-16's are to bad to buy. The less money Minister of Defence Flahaut can receive from these sales the more he will have cut in personel- and workingcosts of the army. But the next Federal Goverment will be the ones who have to pay for this
F. D. M.
source: Knack, 9 June 2004, p 31
The translation might suck but I did my best :p
Some pics of the Iguana:
http://www.sabiex.com/iguana/images/iguana/main_image.jpg
http://www.sabiex.com/iguana/images/image_gallery/rear.jpg
http://www.sabiex.com/iguana/images/image_gallery/rear_3_4.jpg
http://www.sabiex.com/iguana/images/design/design_image.jpg
Info: http://www.sabiex.com/iguana/index.html
Movie of the Iguana during trails in Brazil...
www.defesanet.com.br/videos/iguana.mpg
Does Sabiex get a Defense order worth 430 million Euros?
In 2004 and 2005, the Belgian Army will buy new material for an amout of 1.6 billion euro. They are also looking for replacements for the BMF (Belgian Mechanical Fabrication) armored infantry fightings vehicles of the type M113.
Minister of Defense André Flahaut (PS) will, like Vanden Boeynants did, most likely use a Walloon company (for economical purposes). They are thinking of replacing the BMF's vehicles with about 500 MultiPurpose Protected Vehciles (MPPV) of the type Iguana. This is a light armoured 4x4 vehicle build by the company Sabiex, a company in Vraine-l'Alleud which has got good recommandations with the Walloon goverment and the head members of the PS (= a politacal party). If they opt for Sabiex the federal goverment woulde go for a "made in Belgium" choise. The total ordre would be worth 430 million euro.
To ensure that Sabiex's vehicle meets the requirments, MOD has even lowered the needed financial limits of the candidates. Because French, German, British, South-Africans and even Australian competitors are hoping to get this contract. But there political-industrial networks aren't as strong as they use to be when compared to Sabiex (... With Belgium that is :) ). Sabiex also some strong arguments to convince the goverment... i.e. the mercedes engine in the Iguana is the same as the one in the Dingo - the famous German competitor... The Iguana has won before from other competitors, but the competion on the international weapon market keeps getting intenser.
This is something which Minister of Defence Flahaut will experience when het tries to sell the - soon to become - excesive material. Then Netherlands for instance is allready trying to sell more modern versions of the tanks the Belgium has, also the Alouettes wich the Swiss are trying to sell are more modern then the Belgian ones. The new NATO-members now allready think our old F-16's are to bad to buy. The less money Minister of Defence Flahaut can receive from these sales the more he will have cut in personel- and workingcosts of the army. But the next Federal Goverment will be the ones who have to pay for this
F. D. M.
source: Knack, 9 June 2004, p 31
The translation might suck but I did my best :p
Some pics of the Iguana:
http://www.sabiex.com/iguana/images/iguana/main_image.jpg
http://www.sabiex.com/iguana/images/image_gallery/rear.jpg
http://www.sabiex.com/iguana/images/image_gallery/rear_3_4.jpg
http://www.sabiex.com/iguana/images/design/design_image.jpg
Info: http://www.sabiex.com/iguana/index.html
Movie of the Iguana during trails in Brazil...
www.defesanet.com.br/videos/iguana.mpg