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Maple_Leaf_Eh · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 517

I had a chance to look over the 'Prototype Buffalo' in the Canadian Forces (at least that is the CFR written on a rainbow tag hanging inside).

It was getting some fluids drained or added at 8 Wing Trenton prior to loading for a trip to the sandbox. The driver was a civilian employee from Petawawa, and he let me climb up and have a looksee. It still had that new tank smell! The seats had their plastic covers fresh from the plant! He had flat bedded it down from Pet'.

That bugger is big! Easily 10ft tall and empty weight was something like 47,000lbs. There is a ladder up the back end, and the rear lip of its "pickup truck box" is at least 8 feet off the deck. Sheet rubber fenders, six big tires and two spares on cable winched lowering arms. The IED examination boom is impressive, but not really very strong looking. I gather it has only a 200lb lifting capacity, because its purpose is to scratch and expose objects discovered by other parts of the engineer package. Room for only 5 or 6 guys, but two very competent looking radio racks.

Probably the most impressive thing for me was the size of the rolled steel plates that make up the hull. Imagine a 10 ft wide sheet metal brake that will bend 1/2" plate? Just about every plate has one or more long angles bent into it. Then smooth continuous welds all around the plates.

J.McGillivray · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 149

There are some photos of the Buffalo Mines Detection Vehicle (BMDV) on Combat Camera.

www.combatcamera.force...mbatcamera

www.combatcamera.force...mbatcamera

www.combatcamera.force...mbatcamera

www.combatcamera.force...mbatcamera

Maple_Leaf_Eh · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 517

Yup, same one. There was a news story on the new campaign against IEDs that made mention of the three vehicle combo for Route Clearance Packages. A one-man spider-like vehicle proceeds ahead, sensors on full blast. The Buffalo is second or third in the order of march and it uses the long arm to investigate any pings or questionable returns. The third vehicle is like an extended RG31 with EOD pers and C4.

Very very reminiscent of the Rhodesian Engineer SOP developed in 1970's.

J.McGillivray · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 149

More photos from combat camera.

www.combatcamera.force...mbatcamera

www.combatcamera.force...mbatcamera

www.combatcamera.force...mbatcamera

www.combatcamera.force...mbatcamera

www.combatcamera.force...mbatcamera

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