FV434
The FV434 is the Armoured Repair Vehicle variant of the British Army's FV430 series of armoured fighting vehicles. Introduced in the 1960s primarily as a means of quickly changing Chieftain MBT power packs in the field, it is operated by the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). It is still used by the REME, but is soon to be phased out.
| FV434, Armoured Repair Vehicle | |
|---|---|
 FV434 on display | |
| Type | Armoured Repair/Recovery Vehicle |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | GKN Sankey |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 17.5 tons (17.5 t) |
| Length | 5.88 m (19 ft 3 in) |
| Width | 2.8 m |
| Height | 2.77 m |
| Crew | 4 troops |
| Armour | 12.7 mm max |
Main armament | 7.62 mm L7 GPMG |
Secondary armament | none, defensive smoke dischargers |
| Engine | Rolls-Royce K60 multi-fuel 240 hp |
| Power/weight | 15.7 hp/tonne |
| Suspension | torsion-bar, 5 units each side |
| Maximum speed | 29 mph (47 km/h) |
Description
Officially designated FV434 Carrier, Maintenance, Full Tracked, the FV434's primary role is to repair disabled and damaged vehicles, but it also has a limited recovery capability. It is fitted with a crane (capable of lifting up to 3 tons) to assist its work in repairing armoured and un-armoured vehicles. The FV434 is capable of changing other FV430 series power packs, however, it is unable to handle the power pack the British Army's Challenger 2 main battle tank - this is done by Challenger armoured recovery vehicle in forward areas and soft skin repair vehicles in base areas.
In addition to the crane, the FV434 is fitted with a fold-away work bench to the rear of the vehicle. Like its personnel carrier version, it is capable of amphibious operations with the aid of a flotation screen. Once in the water, it is propelled by its tracks at up to 5.6 km/h. It is crewed by four soldiers: commander, driver and two fitters.
Examples on display
The REME Museum of Technology has an example of a FV434 demonstrating the change of a power-pack on a FV432.
The Norfolk Tank Museum has an restored running example.
References
Bibliography
- Foss, C. and Gander, T. Jane's Military Vehicles and Ground Support Equipment (1984)