Combat engineering vehicle

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The EBG combat engineering vehicle, based on the AMX 30 tank, is used by the engineers of the French Army for a variety of missions.

Combat engineering vehicles (CEVs) are armoured vehicles built for engineering work on the battlefield or for the transportation of sappers.

1 Types of combat engineering vehicles
2 See also
3 External links

[edit] Types of combat engineering vehicles

[edit] Modified tanks

Most CEVs are [[sajaSjiajjxdjkxd, cranes etc. An example of an engineering vehicle of this kind is a bridgelaying tank, which replaces the turret with a segmented hydraulic bridge.

[edit] M4 Sherman

M4 with 105 mm howitzer and a dozer blade.

Dozer - The bulldozer blade was a valuable battlefield tool on the WWII M4 Sherman tank. A 1943 field modification added the hydraulic dozer blade from a Caterpillar D8 to a Sherman. The later jsdkiodfjdjscjsjZ3sejr4sj4tu5g 6.yhyhjuturht zetrzabh5gt z*M4 Doozit - Engineer Corps' Sherman dozer with demolition charge on wooden platform and T40 Whizbang rocket launcher (Doozit didn't see combat but Whizbang did).

Bridgelayer - The US field-converted a few M4 in Italy with A-frame-supported bridge and heavy rear counter-weight to make the Mobile Assault Bridge. British developments for Shermans included the fascine (used by 79th AD), Crib, Twaby Ark, Octopus, Plymouth (Bailey Bridge), and AVRE (SBG bridge).

Mine-Clearing - British conversions included the Sherman Crab. The US developed an extensive array of experimental types:
- T15/E1/E2 - Series of mine resistant Shermans based on the T14 kit. Cancelled at war's end.
- Mine Exploder T1E1 Roller (Earthworm) - Three sets of 6 discs made from armor plate.
- Mine Exploder T1E2 Roller - Two forward units with 7 discs only. Experimental.
- Mine Exploder T1E3/M1 Roller (Aunt Jemima) - Two forward units with 5 10' discs. Most widely used T1 variant, adopted as the M1. (picture)
- Mine Exploder T1E4 Roller - 16 discs.
- Mine Exploder T1E5 Roller - T1E3/M1 w/ smaller wheels. Experimental.
- Mine Exploder T1E6 Roller - T1E3/M1 w/ serrated edged discs. Experimental
- Mine Exploder T2 Flail - British Crab I mine flail.
- Mine Exploder T3 Flail - Based on British Scorpion flail. Development stopped in 1943.
  - Mine Exploder T3E1 Flail - T3 w/ longer arms and sand filled rotor. Cancelled.
  - Mine Exploder T3E2 Flail - E1 variant, rotor replaced with steel drum of larger diameter. Development terminated at war's end.
- Mine Exploder T4 - British Crab II mine flail.
- Mine Exploder T7 - Frame with small rollers with two discs each. Abandoned.
- Mine Exploder T8 (Johnny Walker) - Steel plungers on a pivot frame designed to pound on the ground. Vehicle steering was adversely affected.
- Mine Exploder T9 - 6' Roller. Difficult to maneauver.
  - Mine Exploder T9E1 - Lightened version, but proved unsatisfactory because it failed to explode all mines.
- Mine Exploder T10 - Remote control unit designed to be controlled by the following tank. Cancelled.
- Mine Exploder T11 - 6 forward firing mortars to set off mines. Experimental.
- Mine Exploder T12 - 23 forward firing mortars. Apparently effective, but cancelled.
- Mine Exploder T14 - Direct modification to a Sherman tank, upgraded belly armor and reinforced tracks. Cancelled.
- Mine Excavator T4 - Plough device. Developed during 1942, but abandoned.
- Mine Excavator T5/E1/E2 - T4 variant w/ v-shaped plough. E1/E2 was a further improvement.
- Mine Excavator T5E3 - T5E1/E2 rigged to the hydraulic lift mechanism from the M1 dozer kit to control depth.
- Mine Excavator T6 - Based on the v-shape/T5, unable to control depth.
- Mine Excavator T2/E1/E2 - Based on the T4/T5's, but rigged to the hydraulic lift mechanism from the M1 dozer kit to control depth.

[edit] M60

Another good example is the American M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle, which is equipped with a dozer blade and a 165mm demolition gun.

[edit] Sappers' carriers

Another type of CEVs are armoured fighting vehicles which are used to transport sappers (Combat engineer troops) and can be fitted with a bulldozer's blade and other mine-breaching devices. They are often used as APCs because of their carrying ability and their heavy protection. They are usually armed with machine guns and grenade launchers. Some examples are the IDF Puma, Nagmachon, Husky AVGP, and US Stryker Combat Engineering model.

[edit] Military engineering vehicles

USMC Caterpillar D9 armored bulldozer. The civilian tractor is fitted with an armor kit, produced by Israel defence industries.

CEVs may also include civilian heavy equipment which was modified for military applications. In that case, the heavy vehicle must have some sort of protection - usually armour plates and steel jackets. Some examples are the IDF Caterpillar D9 armoured bulldozer, American D7 TPK, cranes, graders, excavators, and DEUCE.

[edit] Designated armoured engineering vehicle

These are vehicles specially designed as CEVs for the military. They have special engineering uses as well as armour protection. A good example is the American M9 ACE.