UK-based defense contractor BAE Systems revealed it will offer its Beowulf tracked vehicle for the the US Army’s cold weather all-terrain vehicle (CATV) program.
The company says it is offering to deliver two prototype vehicles as a production ready vehicle capable of operating in arctic environments and in all types of terrain for the movement of personnel and cargo.
Beowulf is an unarmored, articulated tracked vehicle for carrying cargo and personnel in either of its two compartments. Its modular design allows it to be reconfigured for multiple missions, including logistical support, disaster and humanitarian relief, search and rescue, and a number of other scenarios.
“The Beowulf and its armored sister vehicle, the BvS10, represent the most advanced vehicles in the world when it comes to operating in any terrain, whether it’s snow, ice, rock, sand, mud, swamp, or steep mountainous climbs, and its amphibious capability allows it to swim in flooded areas or in coastal water environments,” said Keith Klemmer, director of business development at BAE Systems. “Beowulf’s versatility and adaptability are truly remarkable and it’s ready to meet the Army and Army National Guard’s mission.”
The Beowulf is based on the BvS10, which is currently in production and already operational in multiple variants with five countries, first going into service with the UK Royal Marines in 2005.
Built by BAE Systems Hägglunds in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, the Beowulf and BvS10 include several key components from US suppliers, including its engine, transmission and hydraulic system.
The CATV request for prototypes proposals was issued by the Army in June through the national advanced mobility consortium. The program is designed to replace the small unit support vehicles (SUSVs) that have been in service since the early 1980s. Those vehicles are known internationally as the BV206.
On the same day, BAE Systems announced it had been awarded a $32 million prototype agreement by the US Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) to integrate a hybrid electric drive (HED) system onto a Bradley fighting vehicle. The development program is part of the Army’s effort to increase vehicle efficiency and boost power generation to support integration of future technologies and greater mobility for combat vehicles on the battlefield. BAE Systems will work with QinetiQ and will use an existing Bradley Fighting Vehicle as the testbed for integrating the HED technology.
