Swedish Blitzkrieg

Scania’s 2017 defence sales success continues at a blistering pace.

- Shaun Connors

This year certainly started well for Scania within the defence sector – and with the most recent developments, it looks set to continue. The company is known to have secured a number of sales (even if it can’t always confirm them), with countries likely to have nice new dull-green Scanias parked on their military parade grounds in the near future including Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Before looking at those awards in detail, it might be useful for readers to know Scania is nearly unique in that since it delivered the purpose-designed SBA/SBAT truck to India and Sweden, the company’s range of trucks for military/defence applications have all been based on the modular use of components from the company’s range of heavy commercial models, with on occasion limited modifications made.

This approach clearly excludes the Swedish manufacturer from participating in some requirements, but in others gives the company definite costing/through-life support advantages over possible competitors.

In the past, the company has demonstrated the requirements it bids for are selected carefully with this policy in mind, which probably results in the highest bid-to-win ratio of its primary competitors.

Bidding war

In June, the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) officially disclosed Scania has been selected as supplier for a seven-year framework contract for trucks and associated support services. In total, the Danish requirement is understood to call for around 400-500 Military Terrain Capable Trucks (MTCTs, some with armoured cabs) and around 300-400 Commercial Trucks (CTs), and in a variety of configurations that include cargo, container transport, tanker and tractor unit. The initial order under the award calls for 200 MTCT and 100 CTs.