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Double-Jointed & Popular: The Bv Family of Infantry Support Vehicles

Feb 28, 2019 04:50 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff

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French VHM/ BvS10

February 28/19: Austria BAE Systems delivered the first four BvS10 all-terrain vehicles to Austria. The delivery is part of a contract signed in 2016 for 32 armored personnel carriers. The vehicles were handed over during two ceremonies last week in the Austrian states Tyrol and Salzburg. Austrian Defense Minister Mario Kunasek attended the celebrations alongside representatives of the Swedish government and BAE Systems Hägglunds, the Sweden-based manufacturer of the BvS10. The first set of vehicles will be fielded by the Austrian Armed Forces’ 24th Infantry Battalion, a battalion of the 6th Mountain Infantry Brigade, which plays a leading role in the European Union Mountain Training Warfare Initiative as well as the 2nd Engineer Battalion, which can provide combat support in mountainous terrain. The BvS10 is an All Terrain Armored Vehicle. The Austrian APC variant of the BvS10 is fitted with a number of specific features including a 360 degree Observation Camera System with six Day/Infrared cameras and displays in the front and rear of the cabin for greater situational awareness. Also featured is the latest Remote Controlled Weapon Station, which can be operated by both the Gunner and the Commander. It is foldable to allow for swift transportation in the field. BAE Systems expects final deliveries to conclude later this year.

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A Viking comes ashore

The BvS10 is the successor to the wildly popular Bv206, 11,000 of which have been sold to 40 countries around the world – including the USA (M978). Readers may have seen these vehicles elsewhere, too, as a number of Bv206s have post-military careers at ski resorts, in industries like mining and logging, etc. The new BvS-10 is larger and more heavily armored; it’s in use in Britain, France and the Netherlands as a key armored vehicle for their respective Marines, has been bought by Sweden, and is under evaluation elsewhere. International interest includes imitators: Singapore’s Bronco ATTC is a BVS10 competitor, and Finland and Norway have their own local Bv206 variants.

What makes this unusual-looking vehicle family and design so popular? They aren’t like Humvees or similar wheeled mainstays. They aren’t full armored personnel carriers, either – they’re armored, but Bv family vehicles can’t take the kind of punishment that a Bradley or LAV can absorb. Instead, the secret to their success lies in a remarkable all-terrain capability, and their ability to fill a rare and critical role: air-portable and amphibious infantry enhancement. These success factors are discussed below, along with contracts and key developments related to this vehicle family.