Holmwood Highgate, a Brisbane-based manufacturer of military fuel storage and distribution systems, has been awarded a US Army Petroleum and Water Systems (PAWS) contract to provide a Mobile Tactical Retail Refueling System (MTRRS) prototype and field representative support.
The contract, valued at nearly US$1 million, is for competitive testing and evaluation in partnership with Michigan-based MERRILL Technologies Group.
MTRRS is required to be a bulk fuel carrier and retail dispenser for military vehicles and ground support equipment, providing fuel at the manoeuvre level in all operational environments. The system will provide fuel storage, filtration and unit-level retail capabilities with the ability to refuel ground vehicles, ground equipment, and fuel containers.
The competitive evaluation of the MTTRS program is expected to be completed mid-2019, with anticipated contract award being late 2019.
“If it wasn’t for our success with Australia’s Land 121 3B and 5B program, we would not have this opportunity. Being able to design and develop in-house a capability that had world first requirements for a platform such as that program, gave us the confidence to head overseas and promote our capability," Holmwood Highgate’s Chief Executive Director, Wade Mellish said.
"The MTRRS program is on a smaller scale to the ADF solution."
“Partnering with our allies to keep soldiers, both home and abroad, safe and armed with the most effective equipment is something we take very seriously," MERRILL CEO and President Robert Yackel said.
“This is certainly another export win for Australia’s defence industry,” Mellish said.
"We owe a lot to the Team Defence Australia program, the Australian Military Sales Office, CDIC and Austrade. They have been instrumental in helping us realize our true potential.”
Holmwood's Land 121 Phase 3B contract is valued at more than $65 million.
The company is designing and manufacturing 22 integrated fuel tankers for the RMMV 8x8 chassis, 123 ISO-compatible modular water tanks (including pumping equipment) and 131 ISO-compatible fuel tanks and equipment.