MP welcomes tank scheme set to create hundreds of jobs in Telford

Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard has spearheaded a campaign for a tank development project and for The Boxer armoured vehicles to be built in Hadley Park in a joint venture between two defence companies – Rheinmetall and BAE Systems, known as RBSL.

Welcoming the announcement, made as part of a major overhaul of the armed forces, the MP said: "It's a big result."

The Boxer is an 8x8 wheeled armoured transport vehicle, designed to transport troops onto the frontline.

Mr Pritchard told the Shropshire Star: “I am delighted the government have listened to my multiple representations and have now finally committed to the Challenger 3 tank programme and bring forward the timing of the Boxer vehicle programme. This is great news for BAE Systems and RBSL and hundreds of local defence suppliers. Shropshire is rapidly becoming the defence manufacturing hub of the West Midlands."

He added: “I also asked for the new Special Operations Group to be based in Shropshire."

Allies

Boris Johnson said overhauling the armed forces will make them “more valuable” to the UK’s allies, as well as acting as a deterrent to the nation’s “foes”.

During a visit to BAE Systems in Preston, the Prime Minister defended changes to the military. The Royal Marines are to be transformed into a new Future Commando Force (FCF) to be deployed around the world on an “enduring basis” in the major overhaul.

The Ministry of Defence said the FCF will take on many of the traditional tasks of the Special Forces, the SAS and SBS, alongside a new Army Ranger Regiment announced last week.

The plans will also see around 10,000 troops cut from the Army, reducing its overall strength to around 72,500.

Mr Johnson said: “What we are doing is giving them the kit now that they will need to make themselves all the more useful, all the more, I’m afraid, lethal, and effective around the world. Therefore, all the more valuable to our allies, and all the more deterring to our foes.

“We don’t want to fight wars, we want to deter them, and we want to be useful around the world in partnership with our friends to keep the peace. To do that, you need strong, robust armed services of the kind that we are investing in, investing in for the long-term, not just for military purposes, although that’s absolutely crucial, but for very good economic reasons.”

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has confirmed to the Commons the Army will be cut to 72,500 troops by 2025.