Manufacture of the first production hull for the new 'Terrier' vehicle began earlier this year at BAE Systems' Newcastle factory and will be used in mine blast trials to demonstrate improved protection levels introduced by modifications resulting from experience gained on other vehicles during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As well as the start of production, a series of comprehensive trials have also been completed on two demonstrator vehicles, which included:
- travelling 3,300km, split between road, track and cross-country;
- excavating 135 pits for Warrior infantry fighting vehicles;
- digging 39 pits for AS90 self-propelled howitzers;
- moving 15,500 tonnes of soil;
- operating the vehicles via a remote control system and radio link;
- completing a range of route clearance and denial operations and placement of ditch-crossing fascines.
Defence Equipment and Support's Manoeuvre Support Team Leader, Group Captain Paul Ridge, responsible for the Terrier project, said:
"The successful completion of the mid-point reliability trials and the start of first production hull are significant milestone achievements for both BAE Systems and MOD.
"While there remain challenges ahead of us, both teams are committed to building on the momentum and recent successes to deliver world class capability and reliability for the Royal Engineers."
The powerful Terrier tracked vehicle will be able to negotiate most terrain, and its earthmoving bucket and side-mounted excavator arm will make short work of digging and obstacle clearance tasks. The bucket can be quickly replaced with a surface mine clearance device, which, combined with a route-marking system, can be used to clear routes of surface-laid munitions.
BAE Systems' Terrier team leader, Paul Dale, explained:
"Our goal with these trials is to provide the Ministry of Defence with confidence that Terrier is on track to meet the exacting reliability levels prescribed for the vehicle."
Following a detailed review of the trial results and subsequent reliability case report, the MOD has concluded that the trial has been successful and the programme should continue to the next phase of reliability growth, which is to demonstrate compliance with the full contractual reliability requirement.