FV430 Bulldog

History

After the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq by Saddam Husseins army was completely defeated and the thrill of liberation evaporated, the second phase of the war began, with guerrillas loyal to the previous regime taking up arms to drive out the invaders . Part of the coalition is the British Army, which deploys an ancient version of the FV430 family of armoured personnel carriers (APCs), the "FV432". With the increasing use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) by the enemy, the vehicle quickly proved very vulnerable to these hidden threats.

This prompted the service to adopt an armored form of the personnel carrier brand, the FV430 Bulldog Mk III.

The Bulldog entered service in mid-2007 and retains more or less the form and function of the original vehicle. The most significant change is the armor package, which builds on the existing hull frame.

By covering the vehicle's most critical panels - the front and sides of the hull superstructure - with reactive armor this provides better shielding from IED and RPG threats. The resulting vehicle was successful in the war.

Gross weight is 15.3 tonnes and power is provided by a 240 hp Rolls-Royce K60 multi-fuel engine. Road speeds reach 32 miles per hour and the operating range is up to 360 miles.

Inside, the standard operator remains two - the driver and the commander - and the rear passenger compartment can accommodate up to ten people. A power door assembly on the rear wall of the hull provided the necessary access for the infantry, and a roof hatch was installed in the crew position.

Local defense is provided by a 7.62mm machine gun mounted on the roof, which can be operated remotely from the vehicle - again due to the dangers and hidden enemies of urban combat.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

1,000 x 7.62mm ammo

6 x Smoke Grenade

Changes