GM Defence has appointed the UK company ISTEC Services Limited as its preferred mission kit supplier for UK and wider EU/NATO programmes. The agreement places ISTEC as the exclusive supplier to GM Defence for all UK opportunities and as a preferred supplier for all other EU/NATO or worldwide markets. This appointment reinforces GM Defence’s UK-based supply chain expansion strategy and is aligned with their wider UK-based development plans, thus supporting the sustainment and creation of UK jobs and increasing UK defence export potential.

ISTEC Services Ltd is a British company with 37 years of operationally proven experience in the design, manufacture and supply of complex weapon integration solutions for military platforms. Under this agreement, ISTEC will supply GM Defence with weapons mounts, weapon and ammunition stowage, smoke dischargers and all relevant in-service support including spares, publications and training. The agreement reaches across GM Defence’s light vehicle range including all variants of the ISV, S10 and Silverado platforms, currently being offered to meet the UK’s requirements, but also across a number of wider NATO/EU opportunities.

This collaboration agreement is a clear demonstration of GM Defence’s commitment to supporting UK MoD programmes and, in particular, establishes an exclusive partnership with a well-respected UK-based supplier who has a long pedigree of providing the UK MoD with operationally proven, robust and high-quality products. Remaining OEM agnostic, ISTEC has recently signed a number of high-profile collaboration agreements proving that they are the partner of choice to support many OEMs with battle-proven mission system design, integration, manufacturing and support solutions.

Gilbert Nelson, Vice President for International Sales and Marketing at GM Defence said: “We’re pleased to announce this agreement today that places ISTEC as a tier one supplier to GM Defence. ISTEC is a trusted and proven supplier to the UK MoD so bringing them into our team increases confidence and reduces risk across all of our regional programmes. We are currently developing a robust UK-based supply chain and this appointment is a key part of that strategy, creating and sustaining UK jobs and strengthening UK defence exports.”

Anne Quelch, Director at ISTEC said, “This appointment by GM Defence is a major milestone for the company. We have been working closely and very successfully with GM Defence for some time now and we believe that this exclusive agreement for the UK programmes is a resounding endorsement of our reputation and the proven quality of our products. We are also extremely pleased to have been awarded preferred supplier status by GM Defence for EU/NATO and other worldwide opportunities where GM Defence is ideally placed to succeed.”