FV510 Warrior

History of the FV510 Warrior

The Warrior is an infantry fighting vehicle currently in service with the British and Kuwaiti armies. While the system can be divided into various categories (mechanized fighting vehicle, infantry fighting vehicle), its role remains the same - to carry or evacuate Allied infantry while providing armored protection and direct fire support.

The Warrior is an adaptable and reliable platform that proved successful during military operations during the 1991 Gulf War, during the Bosnia and Kosovo conflicts, and most recently during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Needless to say, the Warrior excelled in many operations in mountainous, urban and desert terrain and earned a place in the British Army.

Up until this point in history, the army has been content with the new-found flexibility of tracked armored personnel carriers. These proved to be efficient machines, capable of traversing terrain like their armored brethren and allowing commanders to bring infantry units to the front when needed.

Tracked vehicles provide transportation on terrain not normally suitable for wheeled vehicles, and before the era of armored tracked transporters, the military relied heavily on military 6x6 wheeled trucks to flood troops into theaters of war. While these wheel systems were generally effective at the time, they were not well protected and ultimately proved limited in off-road racing.

The design of the warrior is very traditional. The driver retains the traditional left front position in the hull, and the commander and gunner move the turret. These three make up the Warriors' core team. The passenger compartment is located aft of the hull, which means the engine has to be mounted higher in the design - to the right of the driver's seat.

Infantry enters/leaves the fighting compartment through a large rectangular electric door at the rear of the vehicle - the hinge is on the right - but there is no ramp like the American M2 Bradley. The Warrior's hull has a heavily sloping glacis panel and the driver's position is identified by his hatches and sight flaps. An exhaust port on the upper right of the front fuselage indicates the location of the engine in the design.

The turret is located in the center of the roof of the fuselage, the rear of the fuselage is square, this area forms the troop compartment. The hull is aluminum and the turret is steel. The NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) system protects the crew from the lethal elements of air combat, while the driver, commander and gunner are initially equipped with passive night vision equipment. After 2007, approximately 350 warriors have been upgraded with Thales Optoelectronics STAG thermal imaging systems to align with the BGTI (Battle Group Thermal Imaging) program.

With the help of the equipped on-board toilet, the Warrior can be "buckled" continuously for up to 48 hours.

The Warrior's chain system is driven by a front mounted drive sprocket and a rear chain idler. Three track return rollers sit above the wheels, although in most cases these are covered with short side armored "skirts". Six rubber tire wheels on each side of the track complete the Warrior base's side profile and provide good off-road handling.

Decaled armor is standard on many warrior types today and has proven relatively effective in delaying the impact of British engagement in Iraq (Gulf War and Strom) and Bosnia with small-caliber enemy shells and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). In general, the Warrior's base armor is designed to withstand damage from 155mm projectiles above 32 feet.

Direct enemy fire from large-caliber 14.5mm anti-tank ammunition can also be thwarted to some extent, as can ground-launched mines. Since the British version of the Warrior has no fire ports, the decal armor can be used with little loss.

The warrior weapon is centered on the 30mm L21A1 RARDEN cannon, which can deliver 250 rounds to the crew. The turret is powered, allowing up to 360-degree rotation at a certain height, giving the Warrior a powerful adaptive fire-fighting capability. The cannon has a penetration range of up to 1,600 yards, but it should be noted that the RARDEN cannon is not stable by any means, making it impossible to fire while moving. Regardless, the 30mm caliber was capable of engaging soft-skinned and lightly armored vehicles, leaving enemy tanks to British challengers. The main armament is supported by a 7.62mm coaxial chain gun.

Both the 30mm and 7.62mm artillery systems can engage low-flying targets, especially enemy helicopters if necessary. Warrior crews have access to eight smoke grenades for planned offensive and defensive maneuvers.

In addition, the crew can use portable anti-tank weapons such as LAW (Light Anti-Tank Weapon), eight of which can be carried in the passenger compartment.

Power is provided by a 550 hp Perkins Rolls-Royce CV-8 TCA "Condor" diesel engine. This enables the vehicle to reach a top speed of about 45 miles per hour on paved roads with a range of up to 660 kilometers.

While not inherently amphibious, the Warrior is capable of fording up to 4 feet (1.3 meters) deep. The automatic transmission system is designed with four speed settings.

The FV510 was used to refer to base warriors as "infantry force vehicles" and is the standard warrior form used by the British Army today. The FV511 is a dedicated infantry command vehicle. The FV512 is a mechanized combat repair vehicle, while the FV513 is a similar mechanized recovery and repair vehicle. The FV514 is a dedicated mechanized artillery observation vehicle equipped with a 30mm RARDEN virtual cannon and dedicated radar, tracking and engagement facilities. The FV515 is the Royal Artillery Company Command Vehicle.

Some warrior versions are also equipped with provisions for anti-tank missiles.

"Warrior 2000" is a modern Warrior design to be sold to the Swiss Army. This model was equipped with a more powerful engine, digital fire control system and improved armor, but was not selected for mass production.

GKN was eventually acquired by BAe Systems Land Systems. The British Army expects the Warrior series to meet its needs by 2025 with the help of a modernization program. Upgrades include a brand new turret and stabilized cannon, among other improvements.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

250x30mm ammo.

2,000 x 7.62mm ammo.

8 x Smoke Grenade.

Changes