Oshkosh SandCat, on Display at the International Armored Vehicles

Military contractor Oshkosh announced today it will present its new SandCat high-speed, highly-protected, highly-maneuverable armored vehicle at next February's International Armored Vehicles show in London (February 1 to 5).

According to its manufacturer, the new SandCat can be used in several different roles, and all types of missions, as it is "is tailored to meet operational environments, giving the perfect balance of mission performance, protection and payload to meet rigorous demands."

The need for a new SandCat armored vehicles comes after statistics showed that eight American troops have died in combat through attacks on armored military vehicles, while 40 other were wounded. According to Oshkosh, the SandCat may address some of those issues, as it is the result of efforts to upgrade armored vehicle military capabilities.

"Oshkosh have received significant praise from the U.S Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, who claims that Oshkosh’s rapid build up of a new class of military vehicles designed for specifically for Afghanistan, is one of the most remarkable efforts in the defense industry since World War II," the manufacturer says in a release.

Next Februrary's London exhibition will be paired with the main conference at International Armored Vehicles. So far, some 50 exhibitors signed up.

Visitors will also be able to view vehicle manufacturers and major OEMs, vehicle system suppliers and service providers. Companies include Force Protection, Iveco, MDH Bioquell, Hutchison and Tyron.