Cook Defence Systems has won an extension to its Ministry of Defence contract to supply spare tracks for the Challenger 2 main battle tank and other combat, reconnaissance and engineering vehicles for the British Army.

The UK company, based at Stanhope, County Durham, is the world’s leading independent designer and manufacturer of track systems for armoured vehicles. Its tracks are in service on almost all the tracked vehicles in the British Army and with many other armed forces around the world.

The Minister for Defence Procurement, Jeremy Quin MP, visited the company in Stanhope, County Durham, to announce the contract extension, tour the world-class facilities and meet representatives of Cook Defence Systems.

The one-year extension worth £11m covers the Warrior infantry fighting vehicle, the Bulldog troop carrier, the Stormer air defence vehicle, the CVR(T) reconnaissance vehicle, the Terrier armoured digger and the Challenger 2, soon to be upgraded to Europe’s most lethal tank Challenger 3.

The company is also supplying tracks for the AJAX programme, the next generation of armoured fighting vehicles manufactured by General Dynamics UK for the British Army.

Cook Defence Systems has invested £5m in its Stanhope site since 2019 to expand its manufacturing and testing capabilities and will invest a further £1m this year on new equipment including a new heat treatment facility and a new robotic digital X-ray inspection system.

Mr William Cook, director of Cook Defence Systems, said:

“While we supply our products to British allies around the world, this export success is underpinned by our status as a strategic supplier to the UK MOD. We are proud that our products keep the British Army ready for a real fight against a real adversary. Our tracks keep British tanks moving and our steel keeps British soldiers safe.

“As our most important customer, we were delighted to have the opportunity to show the Minister for Defence Procurement our world-class track design and manufacturing facilities here in the North East of England.”

Cook Defence Systems employs 125 skilled engineers including a number of apprentices and supports hundreds more jobs in its British supply chain. The company sources the vast majority of the steel for its track systems from UK suppliers.