MILITARY VEHICLE NEWS
————————————————————————-
Web Page sponsored by MILLBROOK
Millbrook, based in Bedfordshire, UK, makes a significant contribution to the quality and performance of military vehicles worldwide. Its specialist expertise is focussed in two distinct areas: test programmes to help armed services and their suppliers ensure that their vehicles and systems work as the specification requires; and design and build work to upgrade new or existing vehicles, evaluate vehicle capability and investigate in-service failures. Complementing these is driver and service training and a hospitality business that allows customers to use selected areas of Millbrook’s remarkable facilities for demonstrations and exhibitions.
http://www.millbrook.co.uk/
——————————————————————
27 Mar 09. A new fleet of 60 armoured earthmoving tracked engineer vehicles which will give the Royal Engineers a powerful and versatile route-clearing and earth moving capability will be built at BAE Systems Newcastle factory under a £300m contract. The Royal Engineers are getting 60 air-portable TERRIER( vehicles which will become one of the most important engineering tools in their inventory. TERRIER(r) will support infantry by removing obstacles and opening routes, providing vital assistance on operations including peace-keeping and humanitarian missions. TERRIER(r) is a tracked, armoured, engineer vehicle that can be equipped to carry out a variety of military tasks. The bucket at the front and side mounted excavator arm enable the 2-man crew to carry out a variety of digging and carrying operations predominantly to clear routes for other vehicles and deny routes to opposition forces. Its quick-hitch mechanism means the bucket can be rapidly dropped and replaced with other front mounted equipment including a device for clearing mines from road surfaces. Similarly the vehicle is designed to fit different tools to the side excavator arm enabling it to be used to dig holes, lift objects, drill into the ground or shatter concrete. TERRIER(r) can also tow the 18 tonne fully loaded engineer trailer and deploy fascines (pipe bundle for filling ditches) and trackway (rolled metallic sheet to create temporary road surfaces) to assist other vehicles in moving around the battlefield. The vehicle’s environmental control system allows the crew to work comfortably in all conditions from desert to arctic, and thermal imaging cameras permit both day and night operation. Most tasks can also be conducted by remote control from over 1 km away with onboard camera systems providing the operator a close up view. The vehicle is equipped with advanced diagnostic analysis software enabling the crew to keep the vehicle working to its optimum capacity. The combination of transmission, suspension and track, provide impressive agility allowing TERRIER(r) to keep up with both Warrior and Challenger whilst the vehicle’s armoured hull and General Purpose Machine Gun provide protection to the crew. Despite being over 8metres long and 30 tonnes in weight TERRIER(r) can still be transported in either the C17 Globemaster or the future Airbus A400M military transport aircraft. Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, said: “TERRIER(r) will be a hugely powerful and versatile machine like a cross between an armoured vehicle, an excavator and a loader – and I am pleased to confirm this order for our highly skilled Royal Engineers. Designed in Leicester and integrated by BAE Systems in Newcastle, the order is also good news for British industry as over 90 percent of the manufacture will be supported by companies from across the country demonstrating the great level of skills and workmanship we have in the UK”. TERRIER(r) weighs in at 30-tonnes and has a crew of two who sit in a ‘state of the art’ compartment. The vehicle’s armoured chassis will allow it to safely ope