MoD to Buy Two Ocelots for Further LPPV Testing

LONDON, April 27, 2010 - The Ministry of Defence has placed a contract with Force Protection
Europe Ltd for the purchase of two Ocelot light protected patrol vehicles.
The acquisition has been made to enable further testing in respect of the
MoD's Light Protected Patrol Vehicle programme.

David Hind, Managing Director of Force Protection Europe, said: "We are
very pleased with how our own testing and development schedule has been
progressing. Ocelot has been performing well in tests since the middle of
last year and has demonstrated that it offers unprecedented levels of
survivability and manoeuvrability for a vehicle of this size and weight."

Graeme Rumbol, Global Vehicle Product Group Director for Ricardo plc,
added: "The MoD has already completed a number of their own tests on two of
our vehicles so we're delighted that they are now investing in these vehicles
so that they can carry out further trials. Ocelot is building upon our
existing long-standing relationship with the UK MoD, which has most recently
seen Ricardo carrying out extensive fleet upgrades to create the new RWMIK
Plus standard of WMIK vehicle."

Ocelot has the flexibility to perform a range of roles including patrol,
fire support and protected logistics. Innovative features include
role-specific pods which can be fitted quickly to the core automotive
armoured V-shaped hull in the field. The armoured hull houses the main fuel
tank, drive line, batteries and generator as well as the powerpack, which
includes the engine, gearbox, auxiliary fuel tank and associated ECUs
(electronic control units). The vehicle has been designed from the outset to
be easily repaired and maintainable in the austere environment of a forward
operating base. Commercial off the shelf (COTS) components have been used to
ensure maximum availability of spares worldwide.

Ocelot is equally suited to operations in desert, jungle, mountainous or
urban environments and meets the needs of military and internal security
forces around the world.

The excellence of Force Protection's survivability technologies are amply
demonstrated by the performance of the company's Mastiff and Ridgback Mine
Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. The Cougar vehicles upon which
they are based are recognised around the world as offering the highest levels
of survivability. Ricardo is a leading independent technology provider and
strategic consultant to the world's transportation and clean energy sectors.
Its highly successful defence vehicle engineering operations in both the UK
and North America are based upon the company's thorough understanding of
vehicle operational requirements and access to the very latest in automotive
technology.

High resolution images of Ocelot are available

Force Protection Europe Ltd: Victoria Bailey or Nick Johnstone at CMS
Strategic on +44(0)7771-757018 or info@cmsstrategic.com

Ricardo UK Ltd: Anthony Smith in the Ricardo Media Office on
+44-(0)1273-382710 or media@ricardo.com

Force Protection Europe Ltd: Victoria Bailey or Nick Johnstone at CMS Strategic on +44(0)7771-757018 or info at cmsstrategic.com; Ricardo UK Ltd: Anthony Smith in the Ricardo Media Office on +44 (0)1273382710 or media at ricardo.com