Trackpads - Military Community: More bite for Bulldog

More bite for Bulldog
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UK on 07 July, 2008 07:17:00
 
Bulldog can carry eight personnel plus two crew and has evolved from the FV430
series of vehicles which entered service in the 1960s. The latest version, which
will see them in service by 2011, has been upgraded to improve capability and
reliability.
New engines and transmissions are being fitted with new steering, electrical
and cooling systems. It has a faster top speed - now up to around 45mph (72k/ph)
- and can make a tighter turn. Engines are also quieter and have lower
emissions.
The uparmoured version for Iraq sees further improvements. Extra armour
protection helps the survivability of personnel while air conditioning is fitted
for extra comfort. A protected weapon station is included for more safety and
firepower while a driver's night vision system is fitted to give 24-hour
operating capability.
Lieutenant Henry Russell-Blackburn, of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, a
Bulldog commander in Basra, gave the vehicle ten out of ten.
He said: "For what it is designed to do, it is a fantastic vehicle. The fact
that you can add tonnes of kit to it and it still does the job proves people
knew exactly what they were doing when they built Bulldog. It is a very good
vehicle and the work that it does in Basra shows how valuable it is to us."
About 900 vehicles in total are due to be upgraded in the improvement
programme.