US Army selects BAE’s Beowulf all-terrain vehicle

Beowulf – which has won has come out top in the US Army’s Cold Weather All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV) program - is an unarmored, tracked vehicle for carrying personnel and a variety of payloads in its two compartments. According to BAE Systems, the vehicle can traverse snow, ice, rock, sand, mud, and swamp conditions, and can operate in steep mountain environments. Beowulf’s amphibious feature allows it to operate in flooded areas or coastal waters.

The announcement on August 22, 2022 marks the first sale of Beowulf, which is based on its sister BvS10 armored variant.

“Beowulf is a highly capable solution to meet the US Army’s requirement for Arctic operations. We look forward to providing our soldiers operating in challenging terrain and environments with this highly capable vehicle,” said Mark Signorelli, vice president of business development at BAE Systems Platforms & Services. “We have been maturing and modernising cold weather all-terrain capabilities for decades, bringing advanced capabilities to the United States and numerous other countries. This contract means we will continue to do so for many years to come.”

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Beowulf’s articulated mobility system is said to be key to its effectiveness, providing optimal maneuverability across varying surfaces. Its modular design can be reconfigured for multiple missions, including logistical support, disaster and humanitarian relief, search and rescue, and other missions as required.

Beowulf completed the prototype evaluation phase of the CATV program earlier this year in Alaska where it performed in multiple tasks that included amphibious operations, navigating terrain with varying levels of complexity, starting and operating in extreme cold weather, and user assessment by soldiers.

Beowulf, built by BAE Systems Hägglunds in northern Sweden, includes several key components from US suppliers, including its engine, transmission, and hydraulic system. The CATV program will replace the legacy fleet of Small Unit Support Vehicles (SUSVs), also built by BAE Systems Hägglunds, and known internationally as the BV206.