Charles Clee CBE in the RANGER driving seat

Charles Clee has been appointed as Director of Programmes for Universal Advanced Systems encompassing the RANGER Armoured Fighting Vehicle, the range of military trailers and the Life One blast attenuating seat now on test with a number of international defence companies.
Charles Clee has been working with John Scott, who is leaving for pastures new, for the past year on establishing Universal Advanced Systems, and is well versed on the RANGER Program. RANGER is well placed to continue with the trials and development and deliver the world leading family of vehicles to the international market place.
Universal Advanced Systems is part of the Universal Engineering Group (UEG) which is in turn owned and backed by The Bland Group of Companies which also owns the market leading Griffon Hoverwork Company based in Southampton.
Mike Hayle, CEO of UEG and former head of ABRO said, ‘Charlie brings with him 5 years of experience in the Land Equipment arena, having been the architect of the UK Ground Manoeuvre Urgent Operation Requirement programme’. Mike continued, ‘I am delighted to appoint Charlie to this post as he not only provides continuity but also a vast amount of relevant technical know-how. UEG have provided 3 years of financial and intellectual investment and I am in no doubt that Charlie will ensure that this leads to ultimate success in sales and of course, lives saved’
The New Director of Programmes commented ‘I am very excited about the RANGER vehicle, and the opportunities for Universal Advanced Systems. RANGER is a unique world leading product’ he went on to say, ‘John Scott has worked tirelessly to take RANGER from its original idea to this advanced stage of development, and I have every intention of ensuring that the vehicle will be successful.’

 

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Mike Hayle takes over Universal Engineering Group as CEO

The Bland Group is pleased to announce that Mike Hayle has joined the company as Chief Executive of their Universal Engineering Group on the 15th November 2010.
As Group Chief Executive, Mike takes control of Universal Engineering’s core business division, Universal Advanced Systems, which includes the RANGER protected vehicle and Line Scan based in Yeovil. Mike has an extensive and successful record across the defence and engineering sector and his arrival at Universal is an indication of the Bland Group’s investment in this business.
Mike Hayle joins from Fujitsu having previously had a variety of senior roles in defence, engineering and aerospace. Mike led the creation of ABRO, the defence engineering services business that provided equipment support and fleet management to government and private sector customers, as a commercial trading fund in the Ministry of Defence. As the ABRO chief executive the Dorset based Bovington facility was one of six major sites under his control. After ABRO, Mike joined MetrixUK, where he successfully led the300 strong team to win the preferred bidder status on the MoD’s Defence Training Review in 2007- at the time the largest MoD support services contracts worth almost £18 billion. More recently he ran Fujitsu’s Defence & National Security business, providing IT and communications support to military and specialist government organisations.

Other senior posts held by Mike Hayle include chief executive of the Specialist Aviation Services which provided much of the UK’s police and air ambulance aviation fleet. He began his career serving with the Army within the REME and is a chartered engineer with degrees from Cambridge and Manchester.
In a statement Henry Game Chief Executive Officer for Bland Group UK Holdings noted ‘We are delighted to welcome Mike to the team, and look forward to working closely with him over the coming months to drive the business forward and ultimately secure the longer term growth plan that we invested in 12 months ago when we acquired the Weymouth based business. Mike’s appointment demonstrates our commitment and continued investment in the business. Mike’s diverse background brings a wealth of experience to the company which will enable us to execute the opportunities we believe can be achieved through the RANGER vehicle and the core business over the coming years.’

In a statement Mike noted ‘The Universal Group has a tremendous workforce, excellent skills and some great products. It is my intention to develop strong links across government and industry and to continue the innovative thinking and excellent engineering already present in Universal. This excellence is evident in the company’s development of the RANGER blast protected vehicle, our support to a range of aerospace and defence prime contractors and the recent work in the Oil and Gas components sector. Universal’s parent company, the Bland Group is investing in niche capabilities and is, of course, already the owner of Griffon Hoverwork the hovercraft business which has equipment in service in over 40 countries across 6 continents around the world. Universal’s development will be strengthened by the corporate support of the Bland Group and I am confident that our future is bright even in these times of economic restraint.’

Mike continues to hold the position of non-executive director with Specialist Aviation Services Ltd and holds fellowships with Institution of Mechanical Engineers; Royal Aeronautical Society and RSA. He is also a member of a number of bodies including: The Association for Project Management; Chartered Institute of Marketing; The Institute of Directors; and The Institution of Engineering and Technology.

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Summer Exhibition Season of 2010

The summer of 2010 has already seen the Universal Engineering Company’s RANGER armoured vehicle exhibiting at 2 major international venues. The first was the Eurosatory exhibition held near Paris which took place from 14 to 18 June. A plethora of new armoured vehicles were on display, however, RANGER’s unique design certainly turned the heads of many visitors and generated a wide range of enquiries from across the global defence community.

Secondly, the Defence Vehicle Dynamics (DVD) exhibition at Millbrook saw the first public appearance and launch of the all new 8x8 configuration and a second, much updated, 6x6 variant. RANGER’s design has evolved significantly over the past 12 months as the result of trials and testing, but principally as the result of the helpful comments and constructive suggestions put forward by soldiers, potential end-users and other informed individuals. All of these proposals were carefully evaluated and sifted by the project team and the relevant ones included in the new vehicle design where appropriate. Whilst sharing much of the technology of the original prototype (RANGER 001), the 2 new vehicles (002 and 003) have significantly enhanced capabilities, a larger internal volume, and greatly improved seating arrangements. In addition, they now sport a plethora of mission systems provided by SELEX Galileo with whom UE have now formally signed an agreement to jointly cooperate on the development of the RANGER concept. Selex’s mast mounted optical sights, surveillance systems and other mission essential electronics and displays give the new vehicles a real feeling of purpose, operational readiness and system maturity.

At the end of DVD, John Scott took the 8x8 RANGER for a short drive around the display area. The vehicle’s ride quality felt every bit as good as it looked and those exhibitors who had remained to pack away their stands raised an eyebrow in respect – the 8x8 has certainly made its appearance! RANGER is the best protected wheeled armoured vehicle in its class in the World today and continues to evolve. It is the first vehicle of the new era to be specifically designed for 21st century warfare with the aim of ensuring troops are given the best possible protection against mine blast and IED attack, remaining safe within RANGER’s enhanced survivability monocoque and minimizing the risk of injury. RANGER is the next generation MRAP.

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"Commander in Chief visits Universal Engineering

General Sir Peter Wall KCB CBE is the Commander-in-Chief UK Land Forces and visited Universal Engineering on 30 March.

The General was briefed on the RANGER armoured vehicle at Bovington in the morning and had the opportunity to drive the vehicle cross country before flying to Weymouth for a buffet lunch and to visit the factory in the afternoon.

General Wall thanked all of the staff of the Company for the work they have done for the defence effort in the past and for the ongoing effort to support UK Forces, particularly producing the Jackal and Coyote chassis.

Managing Director Bill Broome said:

"We are delighted that the General should take time out of his busy schedule to visit Universal Engineering. He showed a great deal of interest in all of our activities and spoke to a number of people working on the shop floor during his visit. As 80% of our business is within the defence sector then we must engage with the key decision makers with the MOD and ensure we keep ourselves conversant with current requirements in this essential sector."

(In Picture) General Sir Peter Wall KCB CBE is the Commander-in-Chief UK Land Forces with John Scott, RANGER Program Director at Bovington.

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RANGER on parade – in London | 17/03/2010

RANGER was on display in London on the 17th March at the National Science and Engineering Week Force Protection Media Event which took place at The University of London Officers Training Corp near Euston.

The event, hosted by The Defence Industries Council was well attended by the national media and a good cross section of journalists from The BBC, ITV, BFBS, Sky, The Telegraph and Nuts Magazine!

Minister for Defence Procurement, Quentin Davis, took another close look at the vehicle before making a speech at the event. The Media event follows a tour of the UK to sub-contractors putting some 11,000 miles on RANGER as part of its on-going road trials.

(In Picture) RANGER along with Louisa Harvey, Deputy RANGER Program Manager, Business Development Manager Mark Blunden and Director of Marketing Jeff Little at The National Science and Engineering Week Force Protection Media Event which took place at The University of London Officers Training Corp near Euston.

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Universal Engineering at DSEi Trade Show | 09/2009

September 2009 - Universal Engineering has enjoyed their most successful ever DSEi Trade Show in London’s Docklands. Many International delegations attended the stand along with press including BFBS, BBC World Service, The Daily Telegraph and The Evening Standard.

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Universal Engineering at DVD – Millbrook | 24/06/2009

A brand new, British designed and built armour protected patrol vehicle was launched at the Defence Vehicle Dynamics exhibition on 24th June. During this major event, RANGER was viewed at length by Quentin Davis, UK Minister for Defence, as well as contingents from other countries including the USA, Australia and Norway..

RANGER represents the next generation of mine resistant armour protected (MRAP) vehicles. However, unlike previous such equipments, RANGER achieves improved medium mobility, STANAG 4569 Level 4 protection as a minimum, has been designed from the crew outwards and offers a 6 tonne payload in the 6x6 and 8x8 variants.

Survivability focussed, RANGER is a private venture programme from Universal and has been designed and built in under a year using advanced computer design techniques. Offered as a family of vehicles, the new system creates a wide variety of mission and weapon functionalities. Its tuneable armour can be precisely matched to defeat the threat whilst its survivability capsule, energy absorbing suspended seats, boat shaped hull, armoured belly plates and floating floor offers the best possible protection against IED attack. Its weapon options include 30mm canon, remote weapons station, GPMG, AGL, HMG or ATGW.

Its modular design ensures rapid LRU reset, simple ILS and through life capability management. RANGER is now undergoing validation trials in Dorset and will attend DSEi in September.

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