Battlefield engineering vehicles are tasked with rather inglorious tasks when compared to frontline fighting units like Main Battle Tanks (MBTs). Their primary roles range from mine and obstacle clearance to earth moving - seemingly meager, unassuming roles but roles that have a definitive impact on the progress of the main fighting force. As such, every major military worth their weight has invested in some form of Combat Engineer Vehicle (CEV) of one form or another.
For the British military it has been decades of reliance on the FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor, the vehicle having entered service back in 1976. Its age and growing limitations on the modern battlefield have resulted in calls for a suitable successor which has more or less arrived in the "Terrier Armoured Digger" provided by BAe Systems Land and Armaments. With the development contract awarded in July 2002, the company produced a prototype revealed in May of 2005.
The goal of the Terrier project has been to provide the British military (and other interested global parties) with an air-transportable engineering system that allows its occupants to operate under the protection of local armor.
The Terrier's tracked quality ensures it can go anywhere the main fighting force goes including cross-country. The vehicle weighs 30-tonnes and sports dimensions suitable for transportation in the hold of an Airbus A400M "Atlas" or similar fixed-wing aircraft. For its given role - primarily centered on moving earth or obstacles - the Terrier is outfitted with a bow-mounted dozer blade and front-right-corner-mounted trainable excavator arm. The crew numbers two with a remote-control function built-in for operations in high-danger areas (up to 1,000 meter control range). Additionally five camera provide vision out-of-the-vehicle for when operating in contested areas (i.e. the crew need not expose themselves to battlefield threats). For additional protection against modern battlefield threats, a modular armor kit will be featured. The powerpack is a Caterpillar C18 diesel unit of 700 horsepower output allowing for speeds reaching 70 kilometers per hour on roads.
Eight smoke grenade dischargers are fitted to the glacis plate in two banks of four dischargers and these allow a self-screening capability. Local defense is by way of a single 7.62mm machine gun (optional).
The Terrier showcases an inherent cargo-hauling capability of up to 5,000 kilograms including a towed trailer of fascine or the Python mine-breaching system. Its onboard facilities are also modular-enough to allow the hull to take on a forklift or rock-hammer quality to further broaden its tactical value in-the-field.
The British Army (along with the Royal Marines) maintain an active stock of at least sixty total Terrier vehicles. The Terrier Mission Crew Trainer (MCT) is a specially-developed version used for training future crews. The first production-friendly vehicle emerged from BAe Systems facilities in January of 2010.
Specifications
Year: 2013
Crew 2
Manufacturing BAe Systems Land and Armaments - UK
Production 60 Units
United Kingdom
- Amphibious
- Engineering
- Utility
- Support / Special Purpose |
Weight:
33 tons (30,000 kg; 66,139 lb)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the Terrier Armored Digger production model)
1 x Caterpillar C18 diesel-fueled engine developing 700 horsepower.
(Showcased powerplant information pertains to the Terrier Armored Digger production model)
Maximum Speed:
43 mph (70 kph)
Maximum Range:
311 miles (500 km)
(Showcased performance values pertain to the Terrier Armored Digger production model; Compare this entry against any other in our database)
1 x 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) for local defense.
8 x Smoke Grenade Dischargers
Ammunition: 600 x 7.62mm ammunition
8 x Smoke Grenades
(Showcased armament details pertain to the Terrier Armored Digger production model)
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