![]() ![]() The Australian Army evaluated two pre-production FV432s during 19, but decided to purchase M113 armoured personnel carriers instead. There are two three-barrel smoke dischargers at the front. When carrying the Bren LMG, the vehicle carried 1,400 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition in 50 magazines, each holding 28 rounds. When equipped with the GPMG, the vehicle carries 1,600 rounds of belted 7.62mm ammunition. Vehicles with the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and Royal Signals were originally fitted with the L4A4 variant of the Bren light machine gun, but they now use the GPMG. įV432s in service with infantry battalions are equipped with a pintle-mounted L7 GPMG if not fitted with the Peak Engineering turret. Most of these vehicles have had their amphibious capability removed. The basic vehicle, which could be readied for wading in approximately five minutes, has a water speed of about 6 km/h when converted for swimming and was propelled by its tracks. Wading screens and a trim vane were fitted as standard and an extension provided to elevate the exhaust pipe. A roof-mounted relief valve allows a constant minimal pressure to be maintained and prevent ingress of foreign matter in the event of blast or alterations in external atmospheric pressure. Provision is made to add carbon filters in case of gas attack, and the system can accommodate heaters and/or air conditioning units. The passenger compartment has five seats on either side – these fold up to provide a flat cargo space.Īn NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons) system is fitted, normal ventilation provided by a fan mounted in the forward right hand side of the vehicle, air being drawn through a paper element filter (mounted externally on the right hand side of the hull), filtered air being distributed by a duct running around the perimeter of the interior at roof level, extending into the driver's compartment. As in many designs of its era, there are no firing ports for the troops carried – British Army doctrine having been for troops to dismount from vehicles to fight, unlike Russian infantry fighting vehicles that largely incorporate ports. There is a large round opening in the passenger compartment roof, which has a split/folding (concertina) hatch, and a (right hand) side-hinged door in the rear for loading and unloading. Directly behind the driver's position is the vehicle commander's hatch. The chassis is a conventional tracked design with the engine at the front and the driving position to the right. An FV432 in the foreground during the Gulf War Production started in 1962 by GKN Sankey and ended in 1971, after constructing approximately 3,000 vehicles. The FV432 was designed to be the armoured personnel carrier in the FV430 series. The updated version is called the Bulldog. It is intended that these FV432s will free up the Warrior vehicles for provision of reserve firepower status and/or rotation out of theatre. Plates lined with Kevlar have been added to the bottom hull to provide better protection against improvised explosive devices. The improvements took the form of an engine upgrade, a new steering unit and a new braking system, as well as improvement in armour protection to a level similar to that of the Warrior. ![]() In light of the army's need for additional armoured vehicles in the Afghan and Iraqi theatres, the Ministry of Defence announced in August 2006 that an extra 70 vehicles would be upgraded by BAE Systems in addition to the 54 already ordered as part of their "force protection initiative". At its peak in the 1980s, almost 2,500 vehicles were in use.Īlthough the FV432 was to have been phased out of service in favour of newer vehicles such as the Warrior and CVR(T), 500 were upgraded to extend their service into the 2020s. Since its introduction in the 1960s, it has been the most common variant, being used for transporting infantry on the battlefield. The FV432 is the armoured personnel carrier variant in the British Army's FV430 series of armoured fighting vehicles. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |