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A tracked articulated vehicle or articulated tracked vehicle (abbreviated as ATV. [1] but not to be confused with all-terrain vehicle), is a variation of a continuous track vehicle that consists of two cars, each with their own track, most commonly with an actuated linkage in between. This configuration allows an articulated tracked vehicle to turn by articulating the swivel joint in between the two vehicles (also known as articulated steering), as opposed to using differential steering to move one track faster than the other.
Tracked articulated vehicles differ from most other articulated vehicles in that in a tracked articulated vehicle both wagons are powered and that removing the coupling in between the units would render them inoperable.
Just like conventional dual-tracked vehicles, the purpose of an articulated tracked vehicle is to better navigate off-road terrain, in particular snow, mud and other weak soil, by using long articulated tracks instead of wheels with tires. Tracked vehicles spread the ground pressure exerted on the ground by the weight of the vehicle across the whole vehicle length, reducing the ground pressure per surface area and preventing a vehicle from sinking in soft soil. However, conventional dual-track vehicles can steer only by differential steering. Doing so applies friction on the ground that must be overcome by slowing down the vehicle and increasing thrust on the one side of the tracks. If the soil is however very weak and stressed to the point of slippage, and no momentum is attained, turning can only be accomplished by decreasing thrust on the opposite track. Steering in this manner has a high probability of causing a vehicle to dig itself further into the soil and become completely immobilized. [2] Reports from the "Mud Committee", a British military research group tasked with discovering why Allied tracked vehicles in the European theatre of World War II got stuck in mud so often, found that most of immobilisations of military vehicles occurred in this manner. [2]
A tracked articulated vehicle is always aimed towards its running direction. Although tracked-articulated vehicles cannot turn around their own axis like differential-steering tracked vehicles, the joint introduces a turning point that allows an articulated vehicle to be steered in a manner more similar to that of a wheeled vehicle, where either the front or rear of the vehicle is turned in a direction left or right of the travel direction and the vehicle as a whole steers in a curved path. There is no major difference in the travel direction between the rear and front tracks, and thus a central differential is not required.[ citation needed ]
Tracked articulated vehicles typically steer by actuating the linkage connecting the cars of an articulated tracked vehicle. This linkage, called the train joint, uses hydraulic actuators [1] to position the front vehicle in an opposing direction to the rear one, and curves the direction of travel this way. [2] Alternatively but rarer, tracked articulated vehicles may contain a separate turntable that separates the drivetrain from the body, and turns the entire drivetrain in relation to the body – this method is known as wagon steering.[ citation needed ]
Tracked articulated vehicles can be longer and narrower than their dual-tracked counterparts, which need to have a certain width proportional to their length in order to steer. The narrower profile of articulated vehicles makes them encounter less friction [2] and allows them to steer around terrain obstacles better. [2] Tracked articulated vehicles also tend to sink into snow more evenly, instead of diving down "bottom first". [2] An added benefit of articulated steering is reduced mechanical complexity compared to differential steering. [2]
Tracked articulated vehicles are used for a variety of purposes in militaries as armoured fighting vehicles specifically geared for terrain with soft soil, in particular snow. An early example would be the Canadair RAT, which was developed to transport infantrymen and tow toboggans across the frozen lakes of the Canadian north. [3] The Finnish Army extensively uses Sisu Nasu vehicles to traverse the snow and bogs of northern Finland. For similar purposes, the Swedish Army uses the Bandvagn 206 series in their northernmost territories as mortar carriers and armoured personnel carriers.[ citation needed ]
Within the UK and Dutch militaries, the amphibious BvS 10's are used by marines to traverse sandy beaches, but have also been used in the War in Afghanistan.[ citation needed ]
The United States Marine Corps owns 302 BvS-206. [4] In US service they are known as the M973 Small Unit Support Vehicle (SUSV). SUSV's were deployed in Taskforce Eagle during Operation Joint Endeavor as backup vehicles should snow block up the roads to troop deployments. [4] They are also deployed at the Mountain Warfare Training Center and have been used to train soldiers for the war in Afghanistan. [4]
In the logging, drilling, and mining industries, tracked articulated vehicles are used to move loads and personnel in remote locations. [5] Such vehicles are marketed as being lighter and easier on the terrain due to their low ground pressure, [6] and disturb the ground less when making sharp turns compared to tracked vehicles with differential steering, [7] making them usable in areas with strong winter conditions or vegetation that protects the soil against unwanted erosion. The Nordtrac Terri 2020D is an example of such a vehicle that can take on a variety of roles. [6]
In the Arctic and Antarctic, tracked articulated vehicles are used for general logistics purposes in support of remote research bases. [8] Swedish Bandvagn 206's were used as transportation during the 2007–2008 Japanese-Swedish joint Antarctic traverse. [9]
Some fire departments employ tracked articulated vehicles for the express purpose of fighting fires in wooded areas susceptible to wildfires. The Singapore Civil Defence Force deploys modified military Bvs-206's, dubbed the Tracked Firefighting Vehicle (TFV), for this purpose. [10] [ failed verification ]
Steering is the control of the direction of motion or the components that enable its control. Steering is achieved through various arrangements, among them ailerons for airplanes, rudders for boats, tilting rotors for helicopters, and many more.
Ski warfare is the use of ski-equipped troops in war.
Cold-weather warfare, also known as arctic warfare or winter warfare, encompasses military operations affected by snow, ice, thawing conditions, or cold, both on land and at sea, as well as the strategies and tactics used by military forces in these situations and environments.
A snowcat is an enclosed-cab, truck-sized, fully tracked vehicle designed to travel over snow. Major manufacturers are PistenBully (Germany), Prinoth (Italy), and Tucker.
Bandvagn 206 is a tracked articulated, all-terrain carrier initially developed and manufactured by the Swedish company Hägglund & Söner, and subsequently by BAE Systems Hägglunds, for the Swedish Army. It consists of two units, with all four tracks powered. It can carry up to 17 people, 6 in the front compartment, 11 in the rear. The trailer unit can be adapted for different uses.
BAE Systems AB is subsidiary holding company for the Swedish assets of BAE Systems Land & Armaments, whose ultimate parent is the British defence contractor BAE Systems.
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The M29 Weasel is a World War II tracked vehicle designed for operation in snow. Built by Studebaker, Weasels were also used in sandy, muddy, and desert terrains, including towing loads over terrain wheeled vehicles could not negotiate as in the U.S. Marine invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
An articulated vehicle is a vehicle which has a permanent or semi-permanent pivot joint in its construction, allowing it to turn more sharply. There are many kinds, from heavy equipment to buses, trams and trains. Steam locomotives were sometimes articulated so the driving wheels could pivot around corners.
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The Snow Trac is a small personal Snowcat that is roughly the size of a modern compact car. Aktiv Snow Trac were manufactured in Sweden between 1957 and 1981, with additional vehicles manufactured in Scotland.
Super Select is the brand name of a four-wheel drive system produced by Mitsubishi Motors, used worldwide except for North America, where it was initially known as Active-Trac. It was first introduced in 1991 with the then-new second generation of the Mitsubishi Pajero.
Bandvagn 202 is an amphibious oversnow tracked articulated, all-terrain vehicle developed by Bolinder-Munktell, a subsidiary of Volvo, for the Swedish Army in the early 1960s.
An amphibious all-terrain vehicle, or amphibious ATV, is a small, all-wheel drive, all-terrain amphibious vehicle, used for recreation, farm-, hunting, utility or industry tasks, by enthusiasts and professionals worldwide. They are legally off-highway vehicles in many countries, or at least restricted from use on express highways and motorways – their use is generally extra-urban.
The Nasu is a tracked articulated, all-terrain transport vehicle developed by Sisu Auto for the Finnish Army. It consists of two units, with all four tracks powered. It can carry up to 17 people, although the trailer unit can be adapted for different applications. There are two main versions, the NA-140 BT and the NA-110.
An articulated hauler, articulated dump truck (ADT), or sometimes a dump hauler, is a very large heavy-duty type of dump truck used to transport loads over rough terrain, and occasionally on public roads. The vehicle usually has all-wheel drive and consists of two basic units: the front section, generally called the tractor, and the rear section that contains the dump body, called the hauler or trailer section. Steering is made by pivoting the front in relation to the back by hydraulic rams. This way, all wheels follow the same path, making it an excellent off-road vehicle.
The BvS10 is a tracked articulated amphibious all-terrain armoured vehicle produced by BAE Systems Land Systems Hägglunds of Sweden. This vehicle, referred to as the All Terrain Vehicle (protected) - ATV(P) or Viking by the UK forces, was originally developed as a collaboration between industry - Hägglunds Vehicle AB - and the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) on behalf of the Royal Marines.
Raupenschlepper Ost was a fully tracked, lightweight vehicle used by the Wehrmacht in World War II. It was conceived in response to the poor performance of wheeled and half-tracked vehicles in the mud and snow during the Wehrmacht's first autumn and winter on the Soviet Front.
The Bronco All Terrain Tracked Carrier (ATTC) is a twin chassis multi-purpose tracked articulated vehicle jointly developed by ST Kinetics and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) for the Singapore Army. The variant which was in service as a UOR with the British Armed Forces is known as the Warthog.
The Vityaz DT-30 is a multi-purpose articulated tracked carrier developed in the Soviet Union. It was designed to carry heavy loads in difficult terrain like swamps, sand and snow in extreme weather conditions.