Poised to pounce

Report: Cliff Caswell
Picture: Mike Weston

BRITISH troops will soon be prowling the battlefield with greater agility and power thanks to a new breed of command and liaison wagon.

Built by Newcastle-based BAE Systems, Panther is the latest upgrade to the Army’s armoured fleet and will replace some ageing Land Rovers, Saxons and tracked reconnaissance vehicles.

And like its big cat namesake, it is a nimble and deadly beast, at ease on and off the beaten track and capable of inflicting a lethal bite.

A dozen variants of the seven-tonne wheeled feline, which is based on an Iveco chassis, are currently en route to soldiers on operations. All are fitted with the Bowman communications suite and boast the latest standards of protection and crew comfort.

A third of the 400 Panthers being delivered are also armed with Enforcer, a hi-tech station which allows crews to fire roof-mounted weapons remotely while under armour. The proven system has already seen active service in theatre with Warrior and Bulldog.

Roy Lea, engineering manager for Panther, said the new vehicle had been undergoing rigorous tests in Oman with the Army’s Armoured Trials and Development Unit. He believed that it would be well received by troops in the field, adding that deliveries were already well under way and were expected to be completed by spring next year.

“The Panther is a four-wheel drive vehicle that offers good levels of protection against general and anti-tank mines as well as small-arms fire,” he said. “A number of the vehicles have also been shipped out to the British Army Training Unit Suffield (Batus) in Canada and the soldiers who have tried it have been impressed. It has proved to be very capable as an off-road vehicle.”

Visitors to the Defence Vehicle Dynamics exhibition at the Millbrook Proving Ground, Bedfordshire, were able to see the Panther for the first time in June, when it was put through its paces on the site’s demanding cross-country circuit.

The vehicle, which is fitted with a 190bhp three-litre diesel engine mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox, tackled the course at the former Lotus testing facility with aplomb.

Lea said: “Panther performs well in its class. Depending on the role it is being used for it can carry a crew of three or four and is more than capable of looking after itself.”

As well as being responsible for manufacturing the vehicle, BAE Systems has also been awarded a support contract for the new command and liaison fleet. Col John Ogden, Light Armoured Systems team leader at Defence Equipment and Support, said that the deal would benefit everyone concerned.

“This achievement is a tribute to both the quality of the vehicle and the effectiveness of the working relationship between the MoD and BAE Systems,” he added. “We are confident that soldiers on the ground will like this new capability and appreciate the benefits of its support arrangement.”