The German Wisent 2 Leopard tank support vehicle from FFG can be converted from the original ARV to a more specialized CEV combat engineering vehicle in less than 24 hours.
Heavy armored engineering vehicles have proven their value in the asymmetrical battlefield over the past decade and a new generation of specialized vehicles are now entering service
Until recently, combat engineer vehicles (CEVs), or as they are also called armored engineering vehicles AEV (armored engineer vehicles), were mainly based on the chassis of main battle tanks (MBT).
Obviously, from a financial point of view, it makes sense to benefit from outdated platforms, remaking them for much less vulnerable engineering tasks, focusing on their hull, power plant and chassis. However, such obsolete vehicles often do not have sufficient mobility to work with more modern maneuverable units, and today there is a trend to develop CEVs with the same level of mobility and protection as modern MBTs in order to guarantee the possibility of working together side by side in the forward area.
Some of them are new, specialized vehicles, such as the Trojan defensive vehicle from BAE Systems Global Combat Systems, a member of the engineering tank family of the British Engineering Forces. Trojan vehicles use chassis components from the Challenger 2 MBT and have similar mobility and uniformity, but are mostly highly specialized vehicles.
However, most of the latest CEV projects are based not on obsolete ones, but on surplus MBTs, which have been redone for new tasks. This, of course, is a more cost-effective solution compared to the creation of completely new CEVs, because it will take years to develop and put them into service.
Examples of redesigned CEVs include Flensburger Fahrzeugbau's Wisent 2 (FFG's), Patria Land Systems' Heavy Mine Breaching Vehicle (HMBV), and Rheinmetall Landsysteme-RUAG Defense's Kodiak, all based on surplus Leopard 2 tanks. on the other side of the Atlantic, the Marine Corps Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) assault vehicle, based on the M1A1 chassis (another designation Shredder), has successfully established itself; the US Army has now joined the program. The Marines ordered 45 systems, and the Army later ordered 187 more systems.
All of these vehicles have been redesigned and supplemented with devices for clearing obstacles, preparing firing positions and performing various mobility-limiting missions. Therefore, as a rule, they are equipped with a front dozer blade, a hydraulic winch and a universal crane unit. Some vehicles, such as Trojan and ABV deployed in Afghanistan, may also be equipped with mine plows or rollers, often used in conjunction with a reactive demining system. For highly hazardous operations, some CEVs are equipped with a remote control so as not to endanger the crew of the vehicle.
However, most of these newer CEVs have a higher level of mine and RPG protection than their predecessors, and some also have explosion-proof seats. Despite this, in all projects lethality was sacrificed for "usefulness", the turrets replaced combat modules or turrets with 7, 62-mm or 12, 7-mm machine gun or grenade launcher. Passive night vision equipment is now standard on most CEVs, as well as anti-ballistic missile defense and air conditioning systems integrated into one unit, which allows the vehicles to be deployed around the world. As you might expect, the equipment and tasks are slightly different for each country.
HMBV from Patria Land Systems equipped with FWMP front mine plow from Pearson Engineering; in the photo he is in a raised position
Leopard based machines
MBT Leopard 2 has established itself as one of the most popular and widespread tanks in recent years, and not least due to the surplus in European warehouses, which gradually "spilled over" in the armies of many countries. Nevertheless, there are still a large number in stock, and these machines are currently being upgraded into various engineering and other support vehicles.
One notable in engineering is the Wisent 2 support vehicle, shown by the German company FFG in 2010. One of the noteworthy design features is that the vehicle can be converted from a barrier configuration to an ARV and back in 24 hours.
The Wisent 2 was obtained by disassembling part of the Leopard 2 hull and installing a new, all-welded superstructure made of armored steel in front of the left, with space for a crew of two or three people.
In the CEV configuration, a hydraulic dozer blade with a width of 3, 54 meters or 4, 04 meters is installed in front, two winches and a crane installation with a lifting capacity of 32 tons are also installed. The vehicle is equipped with additional anti-mine and ballistic protection, an auxiliary power unit is installed. When performing repair work in the field (for example, replacing the engine), the Leopard 2 MBT power plant can be placed on the stern platform.
When converted to an AEV configuration, the crane is replaced by a hydraulic shear boom with a bucket that can be replaced with auger or concrete cutting equipment. The dozer blade can be replaced by equipment optimized for engineering tasks: Pearson Full Width Mineplough (FWMP) or Track Width Mine Plow (TWMP) and aisle marking system. Alternatively, a roller mine sweep can be installed on the machine.
Of course, Wisent does not yet have a good position in the market for CEV vehicles based on MBT Leopard 2. The Kodiak joint venture of Rheinmetall Landsysteme and RUAG Defense received orders from the Netherlands (10), Sweden (6) and the first customer Switzerland (12).
The Kodiak differs from the Wisent in that it retains the same driver's seat layout as in the MBT and installs a new two-piece, all-welded armored superstructure in the front of the chassis for the other two crew members.
The crew compartment at Kodiak is divided by a hydraulic articulated boom crane, usually fitted with a bucket that can be replaced by a grabber or hydraulic hammer. Like most of its competitors, the Kodiak has a hydraulically driven opener / bulldozer that can be quickly replaced with a scarifier or a versatile combination of FWMP and Pearson's marking system. The machine is also equipped with two 9-ton Rotzler hydraulic winches.
A set of reinforced armor can be installed on the vehicle; typical armament is a remotely controlled weapon station with a 12, 7-mm M2 HB machine gun plus a group of 76-mm grenades.
The Finnish Army is the main operator of the Leopard 2; it has a fleet of 124 Leopard 2A4 MBTs from the surplus of the German army, and is currently in service with two specialized support vehicles based on the Leopard 2: the HMBV and the Armored Vehicle-Launched Bridge.
The HMBV variant was developed by Patria Land Systems, six vehicles were delivered to the Finnish army in 2008. The commander and mechanic are seated in a new protected superstructure, installed in place of the turret, there is space for another crew member in the hull, but the driver's seat remains the same, in front of the left. The situational awareness of the crew under the armor is complemented by a suite of forward-looking cameras and passive night vision equipment.
The machine has a complete set of Pearson Engineering demining equipment, including the FWMP or Surface Mine Plow, mounted in front and operated by the driver. These plows can be replaced with a Combat Dozer Blade for clearing battlefield obstacles or for equipping firing positions and bridge building areas. Pearson's aisle marking system sits at the rear of the car and sets up marking flags for the cars that follow.
In order to increase the survivability of the crew when the vehicle is blown up, an additional bottom is installed and, unusually, all the crew seats are attached mainly to the roof, and not to the bottom.
Traditions dictate that the armament of the vehicle serves for self-defense; a Russian 12.7mm machine gun mounted to the right of the superstructure, plus a total of 16 electrically-fired 76mm grenade launchers.
On the aft platform above the engine, large containers are installed for transportable additional engineering equipment. Patria says the HMBV can be upgraded to install new fencing and self-defense systems, such as a magnetic signal duplicator, mine rollers and a remotely controlled weapon station.
Israel
Israeli combat experience not only taught hard lessons, but also contributed to the formation of clear requirements for specialized engineering vehicles; most MBTs must be fitted with a dozer blade or mine rollers. These lessons were also taken into account by tank crews who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan and regularly used them as makeshift vehicles to clear obstacles and make breaches.
As a result, the Israeli army's MBT Merkava can also be used for excavation and obstacle clearance. However, its specialized engineering park is based on a modified Centurion MBT, in which the tower has been replaced by a raised superstructure to increase the internal volume and accommodate eight engineering specialists.
On this machine, called Puma, either a plow or roller demining system can be installed in front of the hull. Some vehicles were equipped with the Carpet demining system from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, but this is not a standard component. The Carpet launcher is installed in the stern and holds 20 missiles carrying a charge of an air-fuel mixture.
Puma CEV with raised roof and roller demining system in front and Carpet aft system
It is worth noting the famous D9 bulldozer manufactured by the American company Caterpillar. The Israelis finalized it and the new modification received the designation D9R. The industrial tracked tractor D9R (such is its peaceful incarnation) is the most modern armored bulldozer in service with the Israeli army. This 71.5 ton dozer is powered by a 474 hp engine. The crew consists of two people - the driver and the commander.
Israeli bulldozer D9
These bulldozers, in addition to excavation and construction work, also found themselves used in other dirty and very dangerous work - the demining of high-explosive mines and IEDs (Improvised Explosive Device). Bulldozers turned out to be very good at this job - their armor makes them almost invulnerable to explosives (one bulldozer survived the explosion of a 500 kg TNT equivalent charge). For more dangerous work, the Israel Defense Forces received remote-controlled bulldozers (D9N) dubbed Raam HaShachar (dawn thunder). Israeli armored bulldozers were so effective that the US Marine Corps purchased several sets of armor for their D9s and used them in Iraq.
Russian military engineering vehicle IMR-2M with a raised blade, a telescopic boom in the stowed position and a KMT-8 plow demining system installed in front of the vehicle
The picture shows a Turkish AEV vehicle based on an M48 with a raised snorkel pipe for overcoming water obstacles and a raised crane boom with a bucket on the right side of the chassis
Russia
The Russian army has always placed considerable emphasis on all aspects of equipping the engineering troops, and therefore the industry has developed several generations of CEV machines (the local name for IMR is an engineering barrage vehicle) based on modified MBT hulls.
The first IMR was based on the chassis of the T-54 / T-55 tanks, but the latest T-90 chassis is used for the IMR-2 and IMR-3 models. IMR-3M is manufactured at the Uralvagonzavod enterprise. It is a fairly perfect engineering barrage machine for work on soils of I-IV categories. IMR is pressurized, equipped with underwater driving systems (at a depth of up to 5 meters).
IMR-2 and IMR-3 vehicles, as a rule, are serviced by a crew of two; They can be fitted with a wide range of special equipment such as a front dozer blade, which can be used in a straight, V-shaped or angled configuration depending on the operational requirements. The dump can be retracted, its place is taken by a mine plow, working in conjunction with electromagnetic actuators. The machine also has a telescopic boom that can be fitted with a variety of equipment such as a bucket or grab to move trees and other objects.
The Russian industry has also developed other specialized engineering support vehicles, including the unique amphibious engineering reconnaissance vehicle IRM and vehicles based on the MT-LB. The Muromteplovoz universal road earthmoving machine is a more specialized machine that has a hydraulic dozer blade in front and a hydraulic excavator boom mounted on the roof.
The T-72 and T-90 base MBTs have a front-mounted self-digging blade as standard and can be fitted with a variety of dozer blades and plow systems.
Turkey
The adoption by Turkey of the M60 tank and more recently the former German MBT Leopard 2A4 became the reason for the release of obsolete M48 tanks, which can be converted for specialized tasks.
Twelve of them were converted to the M48 AEV configuration at the 2nd Main Repair Plant in Keizeri, where the additional hull was ballistic tested.
For the AEV variant, the base M48 body is taken, a 750 hp MTU M837 Ea 500 diesel engine, mated to a CD 850-6A transverse transmission. Two hydraulically driven winches are capable of developing a total tractive effort of 70 tons, a dozer blade and a hydraulic telescopic boom located on the right of the driver are installed on the machine. The boom can be rotated 195 degrees and has a lifting capacity of 7 tons. The boom can be fitted with a bucket or drilling rig; when not needed, they are carried in the aft compartment.
In essence, the AEV is very similar to the US Army's M9 Armored Combat Earthmover, manufactured by BAE Systems US Combat Systems. However, it will have a crew of two instead of one and more modern subsystems, as some of the original subsystems are no longer in production.
Comparative characteristics of CEV machines
American Marine Corps ABV vehicle. Shown with Pearson Engineering's FWMP plow and new top superstructure with reactive armor
Terrier AET from BAE Systems with open hydraulic MP bucket / blade and excavator boom
A British Engineering Forces Trojan clearing vehicle has been deployed in Afghanistan. The machine is equipped with a FWMP plow from Pearson Engineering and a set of fascines in the stern.
USA
Combat Engineering Vehicle M728 (Combat Engineer Vehicle) served a long service in the American army; it was supposed to be replaced by an improved Grizzly model, but those plans were canceled 11 years ago.
Instead, the Army joined the Marine Corps ABV program and in May 2009 the Anniston plant handed over the first two vehicles for testing. In this situation, a certain element of symmetry appeared due to the fact that the Marine Corps ABV is based on the army MBT M1A1.
As you might expect, the ABV has anchorage points in the front of the hull for mounting various equipment from Pearson Engineering, and two demining launchers and a flag marking system are installed in the rear of the vehicle. It was supposed to equip ABV with a remote control system, but the serial machines were not equipped with such a system.
The first production ABV vehicles were delivered to the Marine Corps in mid-2008; to date, 45 units have been delivered by the Anniston Army Depot plant for a total of 52 vehicles. Of these, 11 were equipped with a Cobham microclimate cooling system. It is a vest worn under the crew body armor; the system has proven itself so well that Anniston Army Depot is expected to manufacture such systems for its entire fleet.
ABV vehicles are deployed in Afghanistan as part of the Marine Corps, the usual ratio is five vehicles per engineer battalion. With appropriate funding, the initial requirements of the American army will be 187 vehicles.
Upgraded machine EBG Nexter Systems of the French army with a reactive demining system Rafael Carpet installed in the stern
France
Instead of removing its MBTs from service, France is going against the trend of using new machines due to the fact that it still has specialized versions of the AMX-30 in service, including the CEV EBG (Engin Blinde du Genie armored engineering vehicle). EBG vehicles do not have sufficient mobility to work with the Leclerc tank, which replaced the AMX-30. Even after going through the latest modernization and receiving a reservation kit with reactive armor, the EBG car does not have a comparable level of protection.
The first EBG vehicles were delivered in 1993, but since then 54 vehicles have been upgraded by Nexter Systems, including 12 for remote mine clearance (designation AMX-30 B2 DT). Some vehicles were also equipped with the Rafael Carpet reactive mine clearance system and received the EBG VAL designation.
The EBG will eventually be replaced by a new MAC (Module d'Appui au Contact) machine that will have the same capabilities as BAE Systems' Terrier machine. At the moment, nothing is known about the fate of MAC.
Meanwhile, the only version of the Leclerc MBT that entered service is the ARV, 20 of which were supplied to France and 46 to the United Arab Emirates. A further development of the Leclerc ARV was the AEV variant, which was developed and tested, but was not accepted into service.
The Leclerc AEV can be equipped with the K2D demining kit, which includes a Pearson Engineering FWMP front trawl and two containers with reactive demining systems.
United Kingdom
Finally, in order to test the performance, the long-awaited British CEV modernization program begins. Three upgraded Trojan clearing vehicles with enhanced armor entered service with the 28th Engineering Regiment in Afghanistan in early 2010. According to representatives of the engineering forces, the Terrier Armored Engineer Tractor (AET) is replacing the venerable engineering tractor, which has now been decommissioned.
For its part, Trojan replaced the Chieftain engineering vehicle; 33 new production vehicles and two prototypes were transferred to the troops at the end of 2009.
This vehicle uses chassis and propulsion components from the Challenger 2 MBT, and has a high level of protection that allows it to work on the front lines. Front-mounted equipment designed by Pearson Engineering includes FWMP, TWMP, dozer blade and a new 100-bar aft marking system.
Unlike the Marine Corps ABV vehicle, Trojan does not have its own demining system, but it can tow a Python-powered trailer from BAE Systems Global Combat Systems. The typical scheme of operation of the Trojan separator is as follows: it stops outside the minefield, and the Python system fires off charges over this minefield, the linear charge falls on the ground, then detonates remotely, while overpressure is created, initiating the detonation of any mines.
The Trojan Splitter then deploys its FWMP or TWMP system and enters the minefield to clear any remaining anti-tank mines. As you move forward, markers will be installed to mark the way for the vehicles following.
The machine is also equipped with a hydraulic excavator boom mounted on the front right side, which can be fitted with various attachments such as a bucket or earth drill / hammer. The boom can be used for quick unloading of the fascines.
Standard equipment includes air conditioning and protection against weapons of mass destruction for participation in operations anywhere in the world, plus a combat module for self-defense with remote control (which is not standard).
The Trojan vehicle and its variant for building bridges passed the final stage of acceptance at the BAE Systems Global Combat Systems plant in Newcastle upon Tyne, after which they were sent to the defense supply group in Bovington for final restoration and delivery to engineering units.
The newest specialized engineering vehicle is the Terrier, which was developed by BAE Systems for the British Army Corps of Engineers. Its production began in January 2010, and the first systems entered service in June 2013. With a mass of 30 tons, Terrier can be transported by C-17 and A400M aircraft.
The crew of two people is protected from mines by a double hull. Basic protection against small arms fire and projectile fragments can be improved with additional armor. Terrier is unique in that it can be remotely controlled from a distance of up to one kilometer. A BAE spokesperson said that “Terrier embodies the experience gained by the British Corps of Engineers for. It is the most advanced engineering system in the British Army. Adoption of the Terrier is on schedule and all 60 vehicles should be delivered in 2014.” The Terrier could be a prime candidate to replace the US Army and Marine Corps' versatile engineering tractor.
Production is currently taking place in Newcastle upon Tyne; Once all Terrier AETs have entered service, the capabilities of the Royal Engineers will be greatly enhanced.
Standard equipment includes a front universal dozer / bucket that can be replaced with a forks, ripper, or mine clearance device from Pearson Engineering.
On the right side of the hull, a retractable boom is installed, which can be equipped with a hydraulic bucket, an earth auger or a lifting hook.
The Terrier can tow an engineering trailer or a Python mine-action system.
For deployment anywhere in the world, the Terrier AET is equipped with a system that includes air conditioning and protection against weapons of mass destruction, as well as a full set of night vision equipment. Armament includes 7.62 mm machine gun and smoke grenade launchers. Also the machine is ready for the installation of a remote control system (which is not standard).
