The Viking BvS10 All Terrain Vehicle (Protected) was first deployed on operations in southern Afghanistan in 2006 with Britain’s 3 Commando Brigade. Its unique combination of very high mobility, high load capacity, protection and versatility has led to its widespread use on a variety of missions, including some which have gone well beyond its original concept of use. This article will describe the vehicle, project history and concept of use, and examine how lessons learned from its operational use in Afghanistan have led to developments in the vehicle and its employment.

Vehicle Description

The Viking is built by the Swedish company Hägglunds, which is owned by BAE Systems. It consists of two linked, tracked units, which are articulated vertically and horizontally for steering and for manoeuvring over rough terrain. Steering is by hydraulic rams that articulate the front and rear cars in response to the driver’s inputs, which means that unlike other tracked vehicles there is no need to brake one track. As all four tracks are driving continuously, giving maximum traction in all conditions, the vehicle’s capability over snow, sand and soft ground is increased. The power train consists of a Cummins 5.9 l six-cylinder diesel engine driving through a WT3560 Allison gearbox automatic transmission, with 6 forward gears and 1 reverse gear.

The body is constructed of armoured steel with a fully laden weight, including additional armour and weapons systems, of 12.74 tonnes. Viking maintains good mobility on soft terrain such as snow, mud or sand because its ground pressure is minimised by the even load distribution over the 620 mm-wide moulded rubber tracks. This low pressure also has operational protection advantages, which are described later in this article.