U.S. Marine Corps Awards Force Protection $376 M MRAP Contract

(Ladson, S.C., October 22, 2007) -- Leading armored vehicle manufacturer Force Protection, Inc. (NASDAQ:FRPT) today announced it has received a $376 million dollar contract to produce an additional 800 vehicles for the U.S. Marine Corps' Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle program.

This latest delivery order calls for 553 MRAP Category I Cougar 4X4 and 247 Category II Cougar 6X6 vehicles. Vehicle deliveries are scheduled for completion by April 2008. Force Protection has received contracts for more than 2,700 MRAP vehicles thus far in the program.


"This order is significant in several ways," said Force Protection COO Raymond Pollard. "First, it is the second largest vehicle contract in the company's history; second, it is indicative that our proven in-field performance has shown that all v-shaped armored vehicles are not created equally; and, third, it is fresh evidence that our vehicles represent a leading and effective battlefield solution in Iraq.

"We are currently ahead of our MRAP delivery schedule," added Pollard. "This new order is expected to keep our current production lines operating at or near capacity and to continue to supply vehicles in greater numbers as we support the blast protection needs of the warfighter."

Source : Force Protection Inc.