'Friendly fire' prevention device creates jobs

'Friendly fire' prevention device creates jobs

The device will protect tanks from "friendly fire"

A project to fit army tanks with a new system to help prevent "friendly fire" is to create more than 100 jobs in Gloucestershire.

The jobs will be based at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) base at Ashchurch near Tewkesbury.

Workers will help to install the Bowman communication system at the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency.

Some 14,500 army, navy and RAF vehicles, ships and planes will be updated with the hi-tech device between now and 2007.

Hi-tech link

It links digital radios to computers and will mean commanders will be able to hear their troops voices and see on computerised maps where their vehicles are.

Foot soldiers will be able to carry the new radio in their battlepack.

About 400 vehicles a month will have the device fitted at Ashchurch.

Eighty staff have already been recruited and further positions will be advertised in May.