See also: Bandvagn 410.
| Bandvagn 206 Bv 206 Armoured All Terrain Vehicle | |
| Type: | All-terrain vehicle |
| Is Vehicle: | yes |
| Used By: | See operators |
| Manufacturer: | Hägglund & Söner (1980–1997) Alvis plc (1997–2004) BAE Systems Hägglunds (2004–) |
| Production Date: | 1980– |
| Number: | 11,000+ (as of 2017)[1] |
| Variants: | See variants |
| Crew: | Driver + 5 passengers (front car) |
| Passengers: | 11 passengers (rear car) |
| Primary Armament: | Heavy machine gun on ring mount |
| Secondary Armament: | Smoke grenade launchers (front), mortars (back) |
| Engine: | 2.8L 99 kW Ford Cologne V6 |
| Engine Power: | 99 kW (132 hp) |
| Speed: | (roads) (water) |
Bandvagn 206 (Bv 206) (meaning "Tracked Vehicle 206" in English) is a tracked articulated, all-terrain carrier initially developed and manufactured by the Swedish company Hägglund & Söner, and subsequently by BAE Systems Hägglunds, 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. The trailer unit can be adapted for different uses (see Variants section).
Development of the Bv 206 all-terrain articulated tracked carrier began in 1974. Three batches of trial vehicles were delivered by Hägglund & Söner between 1976 and 1978. The first production examples were delivered to the Swedish Defence Administration in 1980.
In 1997 the military vehicles business of Hägglund & Söner was acquired by Alvis plc, becoming Alvis Hägglunds. In turn, in 2004, Alvis became part of BAE Systems, with the business becoming BAE Systems Hägglunds.
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 fully amphibious, with a speed in water of up to 4.7km/h. Over 11,000 units have been produced and they are used in more than 37 countries worldwide.
The total load capacity is 2250kg (4,960lb). A trailer of up to 2500kg (5,500lb) gross weight can 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.
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, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The Bv 206A is an ambulance version, which is capable of carrying stretchers in the rear compartment.
The Bv 206F is a fire appliance variant.
The RaBv 2061 (RadioBandvagn 2061) is a Swedish Army communications/command version, fitted with radio equipment and workplaces for staff members.
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.
The PvBv 2063 (PansarvärnsBandvagn 2063) is another Swedish Army anti-tank vehicle, similar to the PvBv 2062, but fitted with the launch system for an ATGM, either the TOW (Rbs 55) or the Bofors BILL (Rbs 56).
Signalist version of the Bv 206 with radio relay capability. The vehicle is outfitted with mission specific equipment that allows it to fill different functions in the Swedish military telecommunications network Telenät 2000. It was used on the brigade and divisional echelons of the Swedish Army.[2]
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 (93 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),[3] 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 C-130 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 Bv 206Ds by 2020.[4]
Produced in Russia under license from Hägglunds by the GAZ Group at the Zavolzhsky Plant Of Caterpillar Tractors. Uses a 6-cylinder Steyr M16 turbodiesel engine.[5] [6]
See main article: BvS 10.
The BvS 10, not to be confused with the Bv 206 or Bv 206S, is a much larger but still fully amphibious armoured vehicle based upon the characteristic twin-cab, articulated steering system typical of Hägglunds all terrain vehicles. It is equipped with a 6-cylinder Steyr M1 engine with 200 kW.[7] 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. The French Army have recently ordered 130 Bvs10s. The Austrian Armed Forces 32 BvS10AUT represents the most modern variant with full vehicle and crew protection and a .50 calibre remote-controlled weapon station. It is also planned for the Italian Army.
The BvS 10 Beowulf is essentially an unarmored version of the BvS 10 Viking.
Other variants exist including mortar carrier, cargo carrier, fuel carrier, radar and command post. The units can easily be customized to meet customer requirements.
Argentine National Gendarmerie
Austrian Armed Forces
Brazilian Marine Corps
British Armed Forces
Canadian Army – (78)
Chilean Marine Corps
Estonian Defence Forces
Finnish Army
French Army
German Army
Hellenic Army – Used with ARTHUR counterbattery radar.
Indonesian Army — Used by 2nd Group of the Kopassus special forces.
Irish Defence Forces[8] – (7) Fitted with GIRAFFE Mk IV radars.
Israel Defense Forces
Italian Army (about 110 BV-206; 112 BV-206S7 and 46 BV-206S)
Latvian Land Forces
Lithuanian Land Force
Malaysian Army - (80)
Netherlands Navy
Norwegian Army – (1000)
Singapore Army
Spanish Army
Swedish Army – (4,500) Includes BvS 10 variant
Royal Thai Army
Ukrainian Ground Forces
United States Armed Forces – Used in the United States Army by the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team and 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division. Also used by the United States Marine Corps. United States National Guard
Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia
New South Wales Ambulance[9] Low Impact Inc. Soulang Auto Inc. Red Deer County Technical Rescue Task Force[10] Four Tracks All-Terrain Edmonton Alberta
LEGOLAND Billund[11] Estonian Rescue Board Hellenic Fire Service Mobile Brigade Corps of Indonesian National Police[12] Indonesian Red Cross[13] [14] Civil Defence Ireland Italian National Firefighters Corps
New Zealand Antarctic Research Programme Royal National Lifeboat Institution Bay Search and Rescue Team Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service[16]Similar vehicles with the Bv206 ATV include: