Photo: BAE Systems
One wears the name of an old hero of the Geats, the other a moniker people most often associate with a Blue Oval off-roader. Both are tracked machines designed to tackle the harshest of terrains and may become the U.S. Army’s next Cold Weather All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV).
The military branch is currently on the lookout for machines that can replace the present-day Small Unit Support Vehicles (SUSVs) used in cold-weather regions. At the beginning of April, the National Advanced Mobility Consortium (NAMC) announced it selected two possible machines for this program.
The first comes from Oshkosh Defense and is based on partner ST Engineering’s Bronco. The second is BAE Systems’ Beowulf.
The BAE machine is already deployed in the service of five countries, after the UK Royal Marines fielded it for the first time in 2005. Made in Sweden with key parts (engine, transmission, and hydraulic system) coming from the U.S., it sure looks like a monster.
The Beowulf is not armored but is highly configurable and can be used for a variety of missions, from logistical support to search and rescue. It can seat up to 14 people and carry a maximum of 8 metric tons (17,600 lbs) of weight at speeds of up to 65 kph (40 mph). It can tread over rough terrain but is also amphibious and needs no extra preparation to go into the water.
“Beowulf is an optimal and mature solution for the CATV program and we look forward to submitting our prototypes with the goal of meeting the Army and Army National Guard’s mission,” said in a statement Mark Signorelli, vice president of business development at BAE Systems.
“Beowulf, and its armored sister vehicle, the BvS10, represent the most advanced vehicles in the world when it comes to operating anywhere, whether it’s snow, ice, rock, sand, mud, swamp, or steep mountainous environments.”
The Army will have BAE deliver two prototypes for evaluation before choosing the winner.
The first comes from Oshkosh Defense and is based on partner ST Engineering’s Bronco. The second is BAE Systems’ Beowulf.
The BAE machine is already deployed in the service of five countries, after the UK Royal Marines fielded it for the first time in 2005. Made in Sweden with key parts (engine, transmission, and hydraulic system) coming from the U.S., it sure looks like a monster.
The Beowulf is not armored but is highly configurable and can be used for a variety of missions, from logistical support to search and rescue. It can seat up to 14 people and carry a maximum of 8 metric tons (17,600 lbs) of weight at speeds of up to 65 kph (40 mph). It can tread over rough terrain but is also amphibious and needs no extra preparation to go into the water.
“Beowulf is an optimal and mature solution for the CATV program and we look forward to submitting our prototypes with the goal of meeting the Army and Army National Guard’s mission,” said in a statement Mark Signorelli, vice president of business development at BAE Systems.
“Beowulf, and its armored sister vehicle, the BvS10, represent the most advanced vehicles in the world when it comes to operating anywhere, whether it’s snow, ice, rock, sand, mud, swamp, or steep mountainous environments.”
The Army will have BAE deliver two prototypes for evaluation before choosing the winner.
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