Alvis plc subsidiary Alvis Vehicles yesterday signed a multimillion dollar contract with Oman's Ministry of Defence to supply 80 Piranha 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicles.
An Alvis spokesperson declined to put a figure to the deal, saying it was at the request of the client.
The signing ceremony in Muscat was attended by Omani Minister for Defence Affairs Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Harib Al Busaidi and British Secretary of State for Defence Geoffrey Hoon.
The order for a second battalion of Piranhas for the Royal Army of Oman (RAO) follows an order for the first battalion placed in 1994. The new vehicles, in seven versions, will be delivered in 2001 and 2002.
In the same contract Oman also ordered from Alvis Vehicles equipment for modernisation and overhaul of their fleet of 60 Scorpion CVR(T) (Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance - Tracked) vehicles, including conversion from petrol to diesel engines. This conversion will be undertaken in Oman.
As a consequence of the contract, Alvis will join Oman's Partnership For Development programme, committed to investing in the development of business and projects in Oman, said Nick Prest, Alvis chairman and chief executive.
"I am delighted that the cooperation between Oman and the UK has been further strengthened by this important order for Piranha vehicles, and the modernisation of Oman's Scorpion vehicles to the standard adopted by the British Army," Hoon said.
This contract package is one of the first elements to be confirmed under Oman's five-year plan.
Alvis Vehicles has provided Oman with Stormer command vehicles and Unipower tank transporters in addition to Piranhas and Scorpions, all of which have been in service for several years.