: The British Army plans to buy 500-600 new Future Command & Liaison Vehicles under a new program. The six bidders are to be reduced to three by year's end; each will provide a prototype vehicle for tests. The winner will then get the contract with the first vehicles delivered in 2005. The six candidate vehicles are 4x4 wheeled armored cars (except one, which includes a 6x6 option). They include:

@ Alvis is offering the Scarab.

@ BAE and Royal Ordnance are offering the Turkish Cobra.

@ Hunting is offering the French ACMAT.

@ IVECO is offering the Italian Puma in both 4x4 and 6x6.

@ NP Aerospace is offering a new vehicle with a composite body.

@ Vickers is offering the Swiss Eagle, which is basically an armored US Army Humvee.

The British Army is expected to announce plans for its own Medium Brigades by March. This may involve dropping planned upgrades for the tracked Warrior armored infantry fighting vehicle.--Stephen V Cole