
Capable of clearing mines, digging trenches and causing wanton destruction in its wake, the British Army's new battle tank looks like the stuff of Hollywood action films.

Designed by British defence and aerospace firm BAE Systems, the aptly named Terrier has been designed to meet the challenges of modern warfare on and off the battlefield.

In fact, the tank is so versatile it has been described as the 'Swiss Army Knife' of combat vehicles.

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Fearsome: Capable of clearing mines, digging trenches and smashing anything in its path, the Terrier from BAE Systems (pictured) is so versatile it has been dubbed the 'Swiss army knife' of combat vehicles

Always ready: The aptly named Terrier has been designed to meet the challenges of modern warfare on and off the battlefield

Out on the battlefield, it can probe for suspected buried explosive devices and split solid concrete with a rock hammer that stretches more than 26ft (8 metres) away from its body using a telescopic arm.

In addition to being manned, for situations deemed too-dangerous for a crew, the 32-tonne machine can be operated by remote control from up to a kilometre away.

The versatile military vehicle was originally launched in 2013 as part of a £360m ($520m) project with the UK government's Ministry of Defence, to aid the British Army in carrying out tasks such as digging, drilling, heavy lifting and path clearing.

But continued improvements to the system mean that the Terrier is now able to wade through deep waters and withstand waves of up to 6.5ft (2 metres), and clear mines on the move, meaning it can operate in more hostile environments than ever before.

The vehicle can hit speeds of 45mph (70kmh) and is equipped with a variety of lifting, grabbing and moving capabilities (pictured)

Since its debut for the British Army in 2013, the vehicle's versatility has led to soldiers dubbing it the 'Swiss army knife' of military vehicles. According to BAE Systems, the modular design of the Terrier means the core vehicle can be continuously improved and upgraded to match the demands of modern warfare, both on and off the battlefield

The vehicle (pictured) has interchangeable equipment such as a forklift and rock hammer, making it 'highly adaptable'

THE TERRIER TERROR Soldiers have nicknamed the versatile bulldozer, crane, mine clearer and armoured vehicle the 'Swiss army knife' because of its multiple uses on the frontline. Despite weighing 32 tonnes, the Terrier can reach speeds close to 50mph and is fitted with five cameras and thermal imaging technology which gives soldiers a 360-degree spying capability day and night. It can lift up to 5 tonnes and has a forklift and a rock hammer to shatter concrete. The vehicle, produced by BAE Systems, can also be armed with a machine gun and smoke grenade launchers for defence. In the most dangerous of circumstances, soldiers can operate it remotely from half a mile away. Advertisement

This, said the manufacturers, could be key in coastal areas or in helping to reach people in disaster hit areas.

Other additions include a ripper for tearing up roads or runways, preventing their use by enemy combatants, as well as an earth augur that drills holes for use in combat engineering.

Rory Breen, a sales manager for BAE Systems, said: 'The greater wading depth and surge protection will make Terrier even better suited for use in coastal or low lying areas, where it can play an important role in disaster relief as well as combat situations.

He added: 'Along with the new telescopic arm and other attachments, Terrier remains the most technologically advanced and flexible combat engineer vehicle in the world.

'Due to the modular nature of the vehicle, it could also be quickly adapted for a range of other situations, such as clearing paths through jungle or thick foliage.'

The vehicle can hit speeds of more than 45mph (70km/h) and already has complete remote control from up to 1km (0.62 miles) away, along with a variety of lifting, grabbing and moving capabilities.

Like the arm of a JCB digger, its front-loader system can lift weights of up to five tonnes and can shift 300 tonnes of earth an hour.

In regions littered with mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), it has a few nifty tricks up its mechanical sleeve to clear a path.

Firstly, its Python rocket is a minefield breaching system which shoots a 200 metre hose of explosives from the front of the vehicle, like a James Bond style grappling hook.

Once deployed and detonated, the system can provide a path clear of any buried explosives.

In addition, it has a lethal looking plough which pushes through the earth ahead of the vehicle to clear mines, while travelling at a speed of over 9mph (15km/h).

Soldiers (one pictured in the interior of the battle tank) nicknamed the versatile bulldozer, crane, mine clearer and armoured vehicle the 'Swiss army knife' because of its multiple uses on the frontline. This soldier is controlling the tank's Python rocket

The Python rocket is a minefield breaching system that shoots 656ft (200 metre) hose of explosives from the front of the vehicle (left), like a James Bond-style grappling hook. Once deployed and detonated, the system can provide a path clear of any buried explosives (right)

The Terrier was first unveiled in 2013 as part of a £360m ($520m) project to aid the British Army in carrying out tasks such as digging, drilling, heavy lifting and path clearing. Its front-loader (pictured) can lift up to five tonnes and can shift 300 tonnes of earth an hour

The armoured digger can be remote controlled (pictured) from more than 1km (0.62 miles) away, allowing military personnel to remain safely behind cover while the vehicle performs its duties on the frontline of a battlefield

But when push comes to shove, the Terrier can bite back.

The vehicle can be armed with a machine gun and smoke grenade launchers for defence.

According to BAE, the Terrier was designed to provide the British Army with maximum flexibility from a single vehicle, allowing them to reduce their equipment and logistic footprint.

The firm's engineers are continuing to develop new attachments for the vehicle, so customers can upgrade their vehicles to meet new requirements without changing platforms.

The crew can sit inside the vehicle (pictured) while it is in use or control it remotely depending on the situation

Cameras mounted on the top of the vehicle provide a 360-degree view which is streamed back to a remote laptop (pictured)

The remote control (pictured) is designed to be simple to use, allowing personnel to stay out of harms way while clearing debris or mines