FFG and Pearson Engineering partner to supply mine plough UOR to Ukraine

The contract signed in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, details the delivery of a large quantity of NATO proven Full Width Mine Ploughs, provided by Pearson Engineering for integration with Wisent 1 from FFG.

The pairing of front-end equipment with Wisent 1 has been proven by both companies, with systems provided most notably to the Danish Armed Forces along with a number of other end-users.

Facilitated by the German Federal Government, the equipment will be delivered to Ukraine within 2023 under UOR conditions.

The route opening mine plough, considered a ‘flagship’ product among Pearson Engineering’s range of front-end equipment, is designed to provide combat vehicles with minefield breaching capability. Ground engaging tines arranged across the full width of the vehicle displace buried pressure-fused mines to create a trafficable path. The route opening mine plough is often deployed together with an Obstacle Marking System and Magnetic Signature Duplicator from Pearson Engineering. In the U.S., it is deployed with a MICLIC line charge system.

More than 3,000 mine ploughs of various type and design have been provided by Pearson Engineering to end-users across five continents. Supplied for route clearance, self-protection or as a configurable variant, Pearson Engineering mine ploughs have been integrated with a wide range of combat vehicles. Most recently, VECTOR, a self-protection variant designed for use with wheeled vehicles with comparably low traction, was introduced to the market.

Pearson Engineering has previously supplied equipment to NATO Forces across a number of UORs. As far back as 2009, orders were placed by the U.S. Army for Pearson Engineering’s SPARK II route proving roller which saw more than 2,000 enter service within two years. In recognition of the achievement, Pearson Engineering received The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category in 2012, as well as the same award for International Trade in 2013 for efforts relating to the supply of equipment to support NATO Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2022, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise was approved again in the International Trade category in support of service to new markets across the globe.

“We are proud to be in a position to provide proven equipment quickly to forces on the ground in Ukraine. Our ability to do so is testament to the partnership we have forged with FFG over two decades, and the exceptional abilities of our team at Armstrong Works.

“We have proven our capabilities before, scaling-up our design, delivery and manufacturing rapidly to protect soldiers. As an end-user some years ago, I have seen first-hand the quality achieved by the company under such challenging circumstances.”
Business Development Director for Pearson Engineering, Richard Beatson.