Textron Marine & Land Systems, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. company, today presented the Slidell Police Department with the Tiger Light Protected Vehicle it donated last month to the City of Slidell. Textron Marine & Land Systems (TM&LS) Senior Vice President and General Manager Tom Walmsley gave the keys to the armored vehicle, valued at $225,000, to Slidell Police Chief Randy Smith during Thursday's presentation at the company's 1010 Gause Blvd. headquarters.

The MDT/Textron Marine & Land Systems Tiger vehicle is a survivable, cost-effective light protected all-terrain vehicle that seats from three to 11 crewmembers. TM&LS is a vehicle manufacturing and marketing partner to MDT Armor, which designed and built the vehicle in Auburn, Ala. Tiger vehicles are currently in use by several customers, including law enforcement entities in Mexico.

"I speak for all the employees of Textron Marine & Land Systems when I say that we are proud to be part of the Slidell community and pleased to contribute this great product to meet a city need," said Walmsley. "The Slidell Police Department does an excellent job for our community, and this Tiger vehicle will provide added capabilities and protection for officers responding to emergencies."

"This donation is very much appreciated and will be a huge asset to the Slidell Police Department and the citizens of Slidell," said Smith. "The Tiger vehicle can be used for multiple purposes, such as evacuating citizens from an active shooting scenario, safely resolving a hostage situation, or any other life or death situation. Hopefully we never need to use it, but in the event we do, our SWAT team will be ready."

In addition to Chief Smith, several members of the SWAT team were on hand for the vehicle presentation. The city plans to paint the vehicle black in the coming weeks. It will carry the markings and logo of the Slidell Police Department SWAT team.

Walmsley added that TM&LS' ability to operate in a safe and vibrant city is important to employees, and helps the company attract top talent. In addition to its headquarters on Gause Boulevard, the company has facilities in Slidell on Front Street and Stone Road. More than 500 TM&LS employees work at these three locations.

The Tiger incorporates a proprietary armored capsule mounted on a modified commercial Dodge® RAM® pickup truck. It offers significant advantages in power, room, protection and lifecycle cost, and utilizes standard Dodge maintenance and service. The vehicle is equipped with a Cummins 350 HP diesel engine, a highly-protected armored capsule and a 127-inch wheelbase, which provides exceptional mobility. It features five doors and a roof hatch for easy loading and unloading of personnel and equipment. The large cabin can be reconfigured for a variety of missions.

Textron
06.08.2013