Future Rapid Effect System (FRES)
The Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) is the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) programme to provide the British Army with a family of medium-weight, network-enabled, air-deployable armoured vehicles to meet up to 16 battlespace roles. The key drivers for FRES are the need for:
- An armoured Rapid Effect land capability
- Wide operational utility
- Maximum interoperability with other parts of deployed forces, other components and allies
- Addressing the obsolescence of existing fleets
These drivers are closely aligned to the Army's strategic development themes of Agile Forces, Effects-based Operations and Directed Logistics.
A Systems House (SH), independent of product or manufacturing capability and appointed via competition, will lead the initial Assessment Phase (iAP). The SH contract was placed with Atkins on 16 November 2004. The broad aims of the Assessment Phase are:
- To further define the FRES capability required within the developing medium-force and network-enabled operational concepts and thus develop a series of affordable options for meeting the FRES requirement
- To develop optimum procurement and support strategies for future phases in order to present a robust case at Main Gate
- To manage technology and supplier risk to acceptable levels