Warrior tracked vehicle

Warrior tracked vehicle
Name	Warrior tracked vehicle
Caption	Warrior infantry fighting vehicle in service
Origin	United Kingdom
Type	Infantry fighting vehicle
Service	1987–present
Used by	British Army
Manufacturer	GKN, BAE Systems Land Systems, Alvis Vehicles
Production date	1986–1990s
Number built	659
Weight	25 tonnes (combat)
Length	6.3 m
Width	3.6 m
Height	2.8 m
Crew	3 + 7 passengers
Armour	Aluminium alloy with appliqué and composite add-on armour options
Primary armament	30 mm RARDEN cannon (original); 40 mm CT40 (upgraded)
Secondary armament	7.62 mm coaxial machine gun; smoke grenade launchers
Engine	Leyland Motors 600 bhp (original)
Drive	tracks
Speed	46 mph (75 km/h)
Range	510 km

Warrior tracked vehicle is a British infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the late 1980s to equip British Army mechanised formations and replace older armoured personnel carriers. Developed during the Cold War for armoured warfare on the Central Front and expeditionary conflicts, the Warrior has served in multiple operations including Gulf War, Iraq War, and War in Afghanistan. The platform has undergone several modernisation programmes to extend service life and enhance lethality, protection, and mobility.

Development and Design

The Warrior programme originated under procurement initiatives influenced by lessons from Falklands War and concept studies following collaborations between Ministry of Defence directorates and industry partners such as Royal Ordnance plc and GKN Defence. Initial design work involved competitors including Vickers Defence Systems and Alvis plc with final development consolidated at Rationalisation workshops and test facilities at Bovington Camp and Aberporth. Cold War requirements from NATO planning staffs in Brussels and doctrinal input from British Army of the Rhine shaped specifications for troop capacity, firepower, and cross-country mobility. Trials at Dunsfold Aerodrome and validation at Catterick Garrison preceded full-rate production by Royal Ordnance Factory subcontractors linked to BAE Systems supply chains.

Description and Variants

The baseline Warrior IFV chassis houses a three-person crew—commander, gunner, driver—and a seven-man infantry compartment with firing ports and a rear ramp, integrating systems from Ferranti and Racal. Major variants include the original infantry fighting vehicle, command post versions used by Royal Artillery formations, armoured recovery vehicles operated by Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and specialist engineering conversions supporting Royal Engineers tasks. Export and testbed adaptations involved collaborations with Krauss-Maffei Wegmann engineers and trials in partnership with Australian Defence Force advisers. Prototype modifications explored composite appliqué armour from suppliers including BAE Systems Land and electronic integration by Thales Group.

Operational History

Warrior units first deployed with 1st Armoured Division elements during the Gulf War for armoured advance operations and urban escort missions. Subsequent deployments included peace enforcement under United Nations mandates and counterinsurgency in Iraq War alongside formations such as I British Corps and brigades from 3rd Division. In Operation Telic and Operation Herrick Warriors provided protected mobility, infantry fire support, and casualty evacuation roles, often operating in concert with platforms like Challenger 2, FV432, and the Mastiff Protected Patrol Vehicle. Maintenance and recovery issues in desert and Afghan environments involved collaboration with DEFCON contractors and logistic hubs at Camp Bastion.

Armament and Protection

Original firepower centered on the 30 mm RARDEN cannon paired with a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, integrating sighting from firms such as Barr and Stroud and Pilkington Optronics. Upgrades replaced the main armament with the 40 mm CT40 cannon fitted with programmable airburst munitions compatible with sensors from MBDA and sighting suites from Selex ES. Active protection and countermeasure systems trials included integrations with electronic warfare equipment from QinetiQ and smoke/obscurant launchers from Chemring Group. Passive protection enhancements employed modular composite and ceramic appliqué from Rheinmetall and Patria partners to improve resistance against kinetic energy penetrators and shaped charges observed in Iraq War engagements. Survivability upgrades also incorporated improved spall liners developed by Mannesmann Rexroth affiliates.

Mobility and Powerplant

Mobility derives from a tracked running gear influenced by earlier designs like FV430 series and suspension systems licensed from Leyland Motors engineering. The powerpack originally used a Leyland diesel engine mated to transmissions supplied by David Brown Engineering enabling road speeds up to 46 mph and cross-country agility demonstrated in trials at Farnborough and Salisbury Plain training areas. Modifications for extreme climates used cooling packages tested in Al Dhafra and dust filtration systems validated during Operation Granby. Track and sprocket upgrades came from suppliers including Rheinmetall Landsysteme and bogie improvements from Horstman Defence Systems to extend mean distance between failures and simplify field maintenance by units such as Royal Logistic Corps.

Upgrades and Modernisation Programs

Significant life-extension and combat capability programmes included the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP) led by BAE Systems with subcontractors Lockheed Martin UK and General Dynamics Land Systems involvement in systems integration and testing. Armour, powerpack, and electronics upgrades aimed to keep pace with contemporary threats identified by Defence Equipment and Support planners, with proposals for new turrets, improved networking via Bowman, and integration with battlefield management systems from Atos and Northrop Grumman. International interest prompted collaborative studies with NATO partners and potential interoperability trials with United States Army digital systems. Modernisation efforts are intended to align Warrior capabilities with next-generation platforms like the Ajax family while maintaining compatibility with existing logistics chains at depots such as Donnington.

Category:Tracked armoured fighting vehicles