Trojan is an armoured engineer vehicle manufactured by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), a UK-based designer and manufacturer of military vehicles.
RBSL is a joint venture between German integrated technology group Rheinmetall and UK-based aerospace and defence company BAE Systems.
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Trojan is operated by the Corps of Royal Engineers of the British Army. It is also known as the Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE). The first operational deployment of the vehicle was to Afghanistan in 2009.
The vehicle participated in Exercise Tallinn Dawn in Germany in March 2022.
Trojan engineer vehicle design and features
Trojan is designed to provide manoeuvre support to the warfighters in direct fire zones. It is based on the chassis of the Challenger 2 main battle tank (MBT). The turret was replaced with a hydraulic excavator arm.
The combat engineering vehicle has a length of 8.3m, a height of 2.5m, and a width of 3.5m. It can accommodate a crew of three members including a commander, an operator, and a driver. The vehicle has a combat weight of 62,500kg.
It is equipped with vision devices with low-light, image-intensifying and thermal imaging capabilities for enhanced visibility.
The interior and exterior of the vehicle are designed around the crew station positions.
Protection features
The Trojan vehicle provides the same level of armour protection as Challenger 2. It protects the occupants from direct fire weapons.
Additional armour can be added to enhance protection. Trojan also provides increased protection against landmines.
Furthermore, the vehicle is equipped with a nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) protection system to protect the crew in hazardous environments.
Armament
Trojan is armed with a 7.62mm calibre overhead machine gun with a barrel length of 703mm and 360° traverse, operated from under armour.
The gun can fire 520 to 550 rounds a minute. It uses 7.62mm x 51mm belt-fed ammunition.
Mission capabilities of Trojan
The armoured engineer vehicle can open routes through complex battlefield obstacles and clear paths to provide safe passage for the battlegroup comprising tanks and other vehicles.
Trojan can be deployed to support a range of operations, including humanitarian missions.
It can be used to breach minefields and create obstacles to disrupt adversaries.
Equipment carried by the vehicle
Trojan is equipped with a dozer blade and hydraulic power tools to clear obstacles. It is fitted with a large hydraulic excavator arm to excavate areas, place fascines, and move obstacles. The arm has a lift capacity of 6.5t.
A 1m³ bucket is fitted to the vehicle to support excavation activities. Trojan features fascines that enable it to cross short gaps of about 8m.
A full-width or track-width mine plough is used to breach minefields. It can carry a rocket-propelled mine clearing system, called Python. It can fire the Python explosive mine hose from under armour. The hose carries explosives and detonates after hitting the ground.
Engine and mobility
The vehicle is powered by a Perkins CV12-8A diesel engine, which provides a power output of 1,200hp.
The engine has a power to weight ratio of 19.2hp/t. It is coupled to David Brown TN54 epicyclic transmission (six forward, two reverse) system.
Trojan uses a hydropneumatic suspension system. It can achieve a maximum range of 450km and a maximum speed of 59km/h in normal conditions and 40km/h in off-road conditions.
The vehicle can negotiate a gradient of 60% and a side slope of 30%. It can cross a vertical step of 0.9m and a trench of 2.3m and ford a depth of 1m.
Orders and deliveries
The UK Ministry of Defence awarded a contract to Vickers Defence Systems for the delivery of a new fleet of tanks in 2001.
Vickers Defence Systems was acquired by BAE Systems in 2004. 33 Trojan combat engineer vehicles were built under the contract.
The vehicles business of BAE Systems received a £50m ($75.61m) contract from the MOD to provide engineering support for the British Army’s armoured vehicle fleet for five years.
The support contract covers Trojan, Warrior, Titan, Panther, Bulldog, Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle (CVR(T)), Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked), and Challenger 2.
