FV510 Warrior

The FV510 Warrior is a tracked infantry fighting vehicle developed in the United Kingdom to replace the FV430 series. Originating from the MCV-80 project initiated in 1972, the vehicle was designed by GKN Sankey to maintain pace with the Challenger 1 main battle tank. The British Army accepted the Warrior for service in 1984, and the first production units were delivered to the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards in 1987.

The design utilizes an aluminum hull and lacks firing ports, following a doctrine that prioritizes troop protection during transit. This configuration facilitates the addition of appliqué armor, such as the Wrap Two system. The vehicle carries a crew of three—comprising a driver, gunner, and commander—and an infantry section of up to seven soldiers. The embarked section is seated in the rear compartment, with access provided by an electric ram-powered door. Power is provided by a Perkins V-8 Condor diesel engine and a four-speed automatic gearbox.

Primary armament consists of a 30 mm L21A1 RARDEN cannon mounted in a two-man turret, supplemented by a coaxial 7.62 mm L94A1 chain gun and smoke grenade launchers. The RARDEN cannon is a non-stabilized weapon. The vehicle’s sighting systems were upgraded from passive image intensifiers to Thales Battle Group Thermal Imaging (BGTI) sights with 8x magnification. Communications are handled via the Bowman radio system, which replaced earlier Clansman units.

The Warrior has been produced in several configurations, including the FV511 Infantry Command Vehicle, FV512 Mechanised Combat Repair Vehicle, FV513 Mechanised Recovery Vehicle, and the FV514 Mechanised Artillery Observation Vehicle. The Desert Warrior is a modified version produced for the Kuwaiti Army, featuring a Delco turret with a 25 mm M242 Bushmaster cannon and TOW anti-tank missile launchers.

Combat deployments include the Gulf War, UN and NATO operations in Bosnia, and missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. In Bosnia, the vehicle demonstrated protection against small arms, rocket-propelled grenades, and anti-tank mines. During the Gulf War, two vehicles were destroyed by AGM-65 Maverick missiles in a friendly fire incident involving American A-10 aircraft. A life extension initiative, the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP), was developed to integrate a stabilized 40 mm cannon and updated electronics. However, the program was cancelled in 2021, and the British Army began the process of replacing the fleet with Boxer armored vehicles.