Military aid package from Great Britain: Challenger 2 tanks, AS-90 self-propelled guns, FV430 Mk3 Bulldog armored personnel carriers and more
British Defense Minister Ben Wallace announced the composition of the new aid package for Ukraine.
It included:
- Challenger 2 14 main battle tanks;
- 8 AS-90 self-propelled guns + additional self-propelled guns (up to 30 units in total) upon availability;
- 100 armored vehicles, including the FV430 Mk3 Bulldog;
- 100 000 artillery rounds;
- 100 “more sophisticated” missiles;
- dozens more uncrewed aerial systems;
- an equipment support package of spares to refurbish up to 100 Ukrainian tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.
Challenger 2 tanks, AS-90 self-propelled guns and ammunition are known to come from British Army depots, but according to Ben Wallace, “a significant number of the other donations will be purchased from the open market or from supportive third-party countries.”
According to the Minister of Defense, the training of the Ukrainian military on Challenger 2 will begin “almost immediately” and will take place in Great Britain and some neighboring countries.
It would be interesting to find out what exactly is hidden under the items “sophisticated missiles” and “dozens of unscrewed aerial vehicles”, but most likely we will find out already during their use on the front.
As for the FV430 Mk3 Bulldog, this armored personnel carrier, built on the FV430 platform used by the British Army since the 1960s, was introduced in December 2006 for counterinsurgency use in Iraq and Afghanistan. The base version of the FV430 has only bulletproof armor, but the Bulldog is equipped with mounted reactive armor from the Israeli company Rafael, which can withstand a shot from an RPG-7 type grenade launcher.
In addition, this version of the FV430 platform received a new engine and gearbox, which allowed to increase the maximum speed and maneuverability of the machine. And the Bulldog has air conditioning.
The FV430 Mk3 Bulldog is said to be the most advanced vehicle on the FV430 platform. In total, about 900 FV430s were planned to be upgraded to this version.
Well, thank you Mr. Ben Wallace, thank you Great Britain!
FV430 Mk3 Bulldog specifications
Mass –13 t
Length – 5.5 m
Width – 2.9 m
Height – 2.3 m
Armour – protection against 12,7 mm rounds plus Rafael reactive armour
Armament – 1 x 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG)
Crew – 2 crewmen
Passengers – 8
Engine – Rolls-Royce K60 multi-fuel, 240 hp.
Maximum speed – 72 km/h (road)
Operational range – 580 km