Saturday, February 13, 2016

'Swiss Army knife' armoured vehicle unveiled

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03572/89193738_MANDATORY_3572706k.jpg

 
A new British Army engineer combat vehicle. Engineers clear the way!
 
 
BAE Systems unveils its reworked 'Swiss Army knife' armoured vehicle - aptly named the Terrier
It looks more like a Transformer, and could be the new sting in the British Army's tail.
The 'Swiss Army Knife' combat vehicle, so dubbed because of is armoury of tools, now comes complete with a telescopic investigation arm, an upgrade on the existing Terrier ordered by defence chiefs.
Aptly named 'Terrier', it has been designed to meet the challenges of warfare on the battlefields of the future.
It can probe for buried explosives and split solid concrete with a rock hammer that stretches more than 26 ft (8m) away from its body.
'The greater wading depth and surge protection will make Terrier even better suited for use in coastal or low lying areas, where it can play an important role in disaster relief as well as combat situations'
BAE Systems Land (UK) export sales manager Rory Breen
The mammoth machine can now wade through deep waters and withstand waves of up to six and a half feet (2m).
The remote controlled 32 tonne machine was originally launched as part of a £360m project in June 2013 to dig holes, lift objects, drill into the ground and even shatter concrete with troops a safe distance away.
But it has been now been enhanced with sophisticated new technologies and systems by defence engineers at BAE Systems, ensuring it keeps a step ahead of competitors.
One of the upgrades is a ripper that can tear up roads or runways, rendering them useless to the enemy, and an earth augur that drills holes for use in combat engineering.
BAE Systems Land (UK) export sales manager Rory Breen said: "The greater wading depth and surge protection will make Terrier even better suited for use in coastal or low lying areas, where it can play an important role in disaster relief as well as combat situations.
"Along with the new telescopic arm and other attachments,Terrier remains the most technologically advanced and flexible combat engineer vehicle in the world.
"Due to the modular nature of the vehicle, it could also be quickly adapted for a range of other situations, such as clearing paths through jungle or thick foliage."
BAE Systems' Telford plant, home to its combat vehicles business  Photo: Getty
Terrier can reach speeds of 45 mph (70kmh) and already has complete remote control from up to 1km (0.62 miles) away, along with a variety of lifting, grabbing and moving capabilities.
Its front loader system can lift weights of up to five tonnes and can shift 300 tonnes of earth an hour.
In addition, its recently trialled sub-surface mine plough can penetrate to recognised safe depths while travelling at up to 15kmh (9.3 mph), quickly creating a path free of mines and improvised explosive devices.
The 32-ton Terrier can even be operated by remote control from more than half a mile away
Terrier was designed to provide the British Army with maximum flexibility from a single vehicle, allowing them to reduce their equipment and logistic footprint.
BAE Systems' engineers continue to develop new modular attachments, meaning that Terrier customers can upgrade their vehicles to meet new requirements without changing platforms.

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