FBM Babcock Marine Awarded Additional Contract

FBM Babcock Marine has been awarded an additional $1.28 million contract for the provision of a full Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package relating to the current US Army Bridge Erection Boat (BEB) refurbishment project. The ILS package award includes new technical manuals, parts breakdown books, operational manuals and training packages. The modification is an extension to the original contract awarded in October 2001, for which FBM Babcock Marine is the propulsion integrator for the US Coastguard led refurbishment work on the fleet of FBM Babcock US Army BEB's. FBM Babcock has also subsequently been awarded additional work to supply further components for the vessel refurbishment, including the replacement of all buoyancy material in the vessels. The BEB's are a class of truck-launched boat that are used by bridging units of the US Army to build and position river bridging modules prior to vehicle and personnel crossing. The US Army has taken delivery of over 700 FBM Babcock BEBs since they were first introduced in the early 1980s. The latest mission upgrade to the vessels has resulted in extensive modification requirements, including new engine and propulsion systems, with the first of the newly refurbished boats being demonstrated to the US Army bridging units at 'Bridge Ex' in Arkansas during August 2002. The boat performed beyond expectations and was hailed as 'the star of the show'.