Bandvagn 206

Bandvagn 206 (Bv 206) (meaning "Tracked Vehicle 206" in english) is a tracked articulated, all-terrain carrier developed by Hägglunds (now part of BAE Systems Global Combat Systems) for the Swedish Army. It consists of two units, with all four tracks powered. It can carry up to 17 people (6 in the front compartment, 11 in the rear), and the trailer unit can be adapted for different uses (see Variants section).

An armored Bv 206S ambulance of the German Army

Bandvagn 206/Bv 206 Armoured All Terrain Vehicle
Swedish Bandvagn 206/Bv 206
TypeArmoured vehicle
Place of originSweden
Production history
DesignerHagglunds
Specifications
Mass4.5 tonnes
Length6.9 m
Width1.87 m
Height2.4 m
Crewdriver + 6 passengers (front car), 11 passengers (rear car)
Main
armament
heavy machine gun on ring mount
Secondary
armament
smoke grenade launchers (front), mortars (back)
Engine2.8L 99 kW Ford Cologne V6.
202 kW (275 hp)
Maximum speed 65 km/h (roads)
5 km/h (water)

History
US Marines in a Norwegian Bv 206 traveling through snow

Development of the Bv 206 all-terrain articulated tracked carrier began in 1974. Three batches of trial vehicles were delivered between 1976 and 1978 and the first production examples were delivered to the Swedish Defense Administration in 1980.

Like its predecessor, the Volvo Bv 202, the Bv 206 is designed to carry troops and equipment through snow and bog-lands in northern Sweden. The low ground pressure enables the Bv 206 to cope with a wide range of difficult conditions. It is also fully amphibious, with a speed in water of up to 4.7 kilometres per hour (2.9 mph). Over 11,000 have been produced and they are used in more than 37 countries worldwide.

The total load capacity is 2,250 kilograms (4,960 lb) and a trailer of up to 2,500 kilograms (5,500 lb) gross weight can also be towed behind the second compartment.

The Bv 206 is referred to as a Small Unit Support Vehicle (SUSV) pronounced "susvee" in United States service. U.S. military variants include the standard model (M973), a tactical operations center variant (M1065), an ambulance variant (M1066) and a flat-bed cargo carrier (M1067). U.S. military models are fitted with a 6-cylinder Mercedes diesel engine and a non-halon fire suppression system since 1997 due to several cases where the front car caught fire and burned to the frame.

A Bv 206D being transported by a German Army CH-53

Users include the American and Australian Antarctic research organizations and British, Icelandic and Canadian search and rescue services. They are also used for search and rescue services in the Austrian alpine region. The Bv 206 was used in combat by the Canadian Army during Operation Anaconda. The Singapore Armed Forces uses the Bv 206, and recently transferred several of them to the Singapore Civil Defense Force for use as a firefighting platform.

Decommissioned units have been purchased by private owners and rented as transports, particularly in Alberta, Canada, to access remote oil wells, as well as cut blocks which need to be reforested by tree planting.

The Bv 206 is used in Antarctica, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Indonesia, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Variants
This tracked vehicle, a Swedish Hägglunds Bv 206, achieves low ground pressure through full-length, wide rubber tracks and a lightweight body. The two sections of the vehicle are articulated, allowing it to keep contact with the ground over broken terrain. The ground pressure is low enough that the vehicle can traverse loose snow without sinking. The vehicle is amphibious and propelled in water by its tracks.

Bv 206A

The Bv 206A is an ambulance version, which is capable of carrying stretchers in the rear compartment.

Bv 206F

The Bv 206F is a fire appliance variant.

RaBv 2061

The RaBv 2061 (RadioBandvagn 2061) is a Swedish Army communications/command version, fitted with radio equipment and workplaces for staff members.

PvBv 2062

The PvBv 2062 (PansarvärnsBandvagn 2062) is a Swedish Army anti-tank vehicle, an open top version of the Bv 206 armed with a 90 mm Pvpj 1110 recoilless anti-tank gun.

PvBv 2063

The PvBv 2063 (PansarvärnsBandvagn 2063) is another Swedish Army anti-tank vehicle, similar to PvBv 2062, but fitted with the launch system for an ATGM, either the TOW (Rbs 55) or the Bofors BILL (Rbs 56).

Bv 206S

The Bv 206S is an armoured personnel carrier variant of the Bv 206, which provides protection from small arms fire for the occupants. It is in service with the armed forces of France, Germany (379 Bv 206D/S ordered), Spain, Netherlands, Italy (158 units), Sweden (50 units), Greece (Bv 208) and Singapore (300 units), which has replaced it with the Bronco All Terrain Tracked Carrier.

Using a Steyr M1-"Monoblock" engine (6-cylinder, 130 kW),[1] the vehicle can carry the driver and 12 combat-equipped troops — four in the front compartment and eight in the rear. The Bv 206S can be underslung and airlifted by Boeing CH-47 Chinook and Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters or carried in the C130 Hercules airplane, amongst others.

Canadian troops taking part in Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan made good use of this vehicle, riding over rough mountainous terrain with full combat gear, allowing the men to avoid the exhaustion they would have felt moving on foot at such high altitudes and in such conditions.

The UK is looking to replace its Bv206Ds by 2020.[2]

BvS 10
Main article: BvS 10

The BvS 10, not to be confused with the Bv 206 or Bv 206S, is a much larger (therefore equipped with a 6-cylinder Steyr M1 engine with 200 kW[3]) and fully amphibious armoured vehicle based upon the characteristic twin-cab, articulated steering system typical of Hägglunds all terrain vehicles. It was originally designed for the British Royal Marines Commandos and named All Terrain Vehicle (Protected) - ATV(P) VIKING. It is in service with the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group and the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps while the French Army have recently ordered 130 Bvs10s. It's planned for Italian Army.

BvS 10 Beowulf

The BvS 10 Beowulf is essentially an unarmored version of the BvS 10 Viking.

Other variants

Other variants exist including mortar launcher, cargo carrier, fuel carrier, radar, command post and radio relay. The units can easily be customized to meet customer requirements.

Specifications (original version)
Diagram of the Bv 206
  • Engine: 2.8L 99 kW Ford Cologne V6.
  • Gearbox: MB W 4A-018 automatic transmission
  • Weight: 4,500 kilograms (9,900 lb)
  • Cargo load: 2,240 kilograms (4,940 lb) - 630 kilograms (1,390 lb) in front unit and 1,610 kilograms (3,550 lb) in trailer unit)
  • Length: 6.9 metres (23 ft)
  • Width: 1.87 metres (6.1 ft)
  • Height: 2.4 metres (7.9 ft)

Operators
Map of Bandvagn 206 operators in blue

Current operators

Civilian operators

See also

Similar vehicles with the Bv206 ATV include:

References
  1. BAE Haegglund Bv206 M16 TCI HD: Steyr-Motors.com
  2. "UK seeks Bv 206D replacement - IHS Jane's 360". Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  3. BAE Haegglund BVS 10 M16 SCI: Steyr-Motors.com
  4. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Instagram media mgraatrud - Høglunds #bv206 @ - imagli.net". Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  7. "Forsvaret solgte beltevogner til russere". Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  8. "Hevder beltevognene er destruert". Retrieved 14 June 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.