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Terrier Armored Digger

2013 MODERN

History of Armored Terriers

Compared to front-line combat units such as the main battle tank (MBT), the mission of the battlefield engineer vehicle is rather disgraceful. Their primary responsibilities ranged from minesweeping and obstacle clearance to earthmovinga seemingly insignificant and inconspicuous role that had a vital impact on the progress of the main force.

As a result, every major military to its credit has invested in some form of combat engineering vehicle (CEV).

The British military has relied on the FV180 combat engineering tractor for decades, having been in service as early as 1976. Its age and increasing constraints on the modern battlefield led to the need for a suitable successor, more or less arriving at the "Terrier Armored Digger" provided by BAe Systems Land and Armaments.

Following a development contract awarded in July 2002, the company produced a prototype and launched it in May 2005.

The goal of the

Terrier project is to provide the British military (and other interested global parties) with an air-transportable engineered system that allows its crew to work under the protection of local armour.

The caterpillar quality of the Terrier ensures it can be used anywhere the main force moves, including off-road. The vehicle weighs 30 tonnes and has sporty dimensions suitable for transport in an Airbus A400M "Atlas" or similar fixed-wing aircraft.

For its given role - which focuses primarily on moving earth or obstacles - the terrier is equipped with a bow-mounted dozer blade and a trainable excavator arm mounted in the right front corner. Two crew members have built-in remote controls to operate in hazardous areas (up to 1,000 meters of control). Additionally, five cameras provide a view of the outside of the vehicle when operating in contested areas (ie, the crew does not have to face threats on the battlefield).

For additional protection against modern battlefield threats, a modular armor kit has been introduced. The power unit is a 700-horsepower Caterpillar C18 diesel engine capable of traveling up to 70 kilometers per hour on the road.

Eight smoke grenade launchers are attached to the glacis board in two rows of four launchers, which are self-defense. Local defense is provided by a 7.62mm machine gun (optional).

The

Terrier has an inherent cargo capacity of up to 5,000kg, including a trailer with straps or a Python mine crushing system. Its onboard facilities are also modular enough to give the hull the quality of a forklift or a stone hammer to further expand its tactical value in the field.

The British Army (along with the Royal Marines) maintains an active fleet of at least 60 Terriers in total. The Terrier Mission Crew Trainer (MCT) is a version specially developed for training future crew members. BAe Systems' factory launched its first production-friendly vehicle in January 2010.