FV430 series
The FV430 series covers a number of armoured fighting vehicles of the British Army, all built on the same chassis. The most common is the FV432 armoured personnel carrier.
| FV430 | |
|---|---|
FV430 Mk3 Bulldog | |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 15.3 t (15.1 long tons) |
| Length | 5.25 m (17 ft 3 in) |
| Width | 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) |
| Height | 2.28 m (7 ft 6 in) |
| Crew | 2 minimum |
| Armour | 12.7 mm max |
Main armament | 7.62 mm L7 GPMG |
Secondary armament | smoke dischargers |
| Engine | Rolls-Royce K60 multi-fuel 240 hp |
| Power/weight | 15.7 hp/tonne |
| Suspension | torsion-bar, 5 road wheel |
Operational range | 360 mi (580 km) |
| Maximum speed | 32 mph (52 km/h) |
Although the FV430 series has been in service since the 1960s, and some of the designs have been replaced in whole or part by other vehicles, such as those of the CVR(T) range or the Warrior, many have been retained and are receiving upgrades to the engine and control gear.
The FV430 chassis is a conventional tracked design with the engine at the front and the driving position to the right. The hatch for the vehicle commander is directly behind the driver's; a pintle mount next to it can take a machine gun. There is a side-hinged door in the rear for loading and unloading, and in most models, also a large split-hatch round opening in the passenger compartment roof. There are no firing ports for the troops carried - British Army doctrine has always been to dismount from vehicles to fight.
There is a wading screen as standard, and the vehicle has a water speed of about 6 km/h when converted for swimming.
FV430 vehicles, if armed, often have a pintle-mounted L7 general purpose machine gun. There are two three-barrel smoke dischargers at the front.