Due to the susceptibility of the FV430 troop carrier in its original design form concerning actions in Iraqi, the British Army took on a better-armored version through the Bulldog APC.
After Saddam Hussein's forces were soundly beaten following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the euphoria of liberation had faded, the second phase of the war began as guerilla forces loyal to the former regime took up arms to remove the invaders. Part of the coalition force was the British Army and it fielded the venerable Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) version of the FV430 vehicle family as the "FV432". With increased use by the enemy of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPGs), the vehicle soon shown itself highly susceptible to these hidden threats. This prompted the service to take on an up-armored form of the troop carrier mark as the FV430 Bulldog Mk III.
The Bulldog entered service in useful numbers by mid-2007 and more or less retained the form and function of the original vehicle. The most important change became the armor package built upon the existing framework of the hull. This provided considerably more shielding against IED and RPG threats by covering the most critical facings of the vehicle - the front and sides of the hull superstructure - with reactive armor. The resulting vehicle was a success for its part in the war.
Overall weight became 15.3 tonnes and drive power was from a single Rolls-Royce K60 multi-fueled unit outputting 240 horsepower. Road speeds reached 32 miles per hour with operational ranges out to 360 miles.
Internally the standard operating crew remained two - driver and commander - with seating for up to ten in the passenger area at rear. A powered door arrangement seated at the rear hull wall allowed the necessary entry-exit for infantry and roof hatches were set over the crew positions. Local defense was through a single 7.62mm machine gun fitted to the roof and could be operated remotely from within the vehicle - again owing to the dangers of urban warfare and a hidden enemy.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
Length
17.2 ft 5.25 m
Width
9.2 ft 2.8 m
Height
7.5 ft 2.28 m
Weight
33,731 lb 15,300 kg
Tonnage
16.9 tons LIGHT
(Showcased structural values pertain to the FV430 Bulldog Mk III production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)
Powerplant:
1 x Rolls-Royce K60 multi-fueled engine developing 240 horsepower.
Speed
32.3 mph (52.0 kph)
Range
360.4 mi (580.0 km)
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the FV430 Bulldog Mk III production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)
TYPICAL:
1 x 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) on pintle-mounting on hull roof.
2 x 3 Smoke grenade dischargers
Supported Types
(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)
1,000 x 7.62mm ammunition (estimated)
6 x Smoke grenades
FV430 "Bulldog" Mk III - Base Series Name; service introduction in August 2007.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.
Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org, the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft, and SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane.
United Kingdom
