February8, 2007:
Britain has upgraded over fifty of its elderly FV430 armored personnel
carriers for service in Afghanistan and Iraq. The first ones have been seen
patrolling the southern Iraq city of Basra.
This
"Bulldog" version has additional armor on the sides, to make the vehicle
largely immune to PRGs. A remote control (from inside the vehicle) machine-gun
turret has been added, along with a more powerful engine, new
transmission, air conditioning, improved communications equipment, and
better protection for the driver. The 16 ton tracked vehicle can now move at a
top speed of 70 kilometers an hour, and make much sharper turns. The FV430 is
more useful for patrolling urban areas than the larger, 24 ton FV510 Warrior
Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The FV430 is an older, 1960s, design, similar to the
American M113. The Warrior, which was introduced in the late 1980s, is more
like the U.S. M-2 Bradley.
Photos