The British Army has ordered eight Tempest mine-protected 4x4 trucks for use as road survey and casualty evacuation vehicles in the Balkans peacekeeping mission. These were ordered from Technical Solutions Group of South Carolina, which based them on the Cougar mine-protected vehicle used by the US Army. The armored crew compartment (proof against 7.62mm rifle bullets) is built in South Africa. The contract is for $3.6 million with the vehicles to be in service by this summer. Final assembly and installation of British Army equipment will be done by Supacat. The British have lost several trucks and armored vehicles to mines in the Balkans, particularly to the self-forging fragment type which is able to penetrate the floor of most combat vehicles.--Stephen V Cole