Armored bulldozer

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For Killdozer or Granby rampage, see Marvin Heemeyer.
armor used by the Israel Defense Forces

The armored bulldozer is a basic tool of

combat engineering vehicles combine the earth moving capabilities of the bulldozer with armor which protects the vehicle and its operator in or near combat. Most are civilian bulldozers modified by addition of vehicle armor/military equipment, but some are tanks
stripped of armament and fitted with a dozer blade. Some tanks (called tankdozers) have bulldozer blades while retaining their armament, but this does not make them armored bulldozers as such, because combat remains the primary role—earth moving is a secondary task.

World War II

D-7 bulldozer, 1944
Centaur bulldozer
British, World War II armoured bulldozers

The first armored bulldozer (D7A) was developed by the British during World War II. This was a conventional

79th Armoured Division
in support of armored assaults.

The bulldozers were produced in preparation for the Battle of Normandy with the tasks of clearing the invasion beaches of obstacles and quickly making roads accessible by clearing rubble and filling in bomb craters.

As Allied armies advanced through Europe, the armored bulldozer was found to be too slow—there was a need for well-armored, obstacle clearing vehicle that was fast enough to keep up with tank formations. This need was met by the Centaur Bulldozer—a Centaur tank with the turret removed and a bulldozer blade fitted. Centaur bulldozers were still in use with the British Army at the time of the Korean War.

Modern use

Armored bulldozer of the Serbian armed forces

Modern armored bulldozers are often based on the Caterpillar D7 and

Marine Corps and the US Army) and the Canadian Army in Iraq[citation needed], both using an armor kit developed and manufactured by Israel. Following the success of the armored D9, Caterpillar Defense Products started to manufacture and sell armored bulldozers, mainly for the United States Armed Forces.[1]

Israel

See also:
Israeli Military Industries and Israel Aerospace Industries to increase the survivability of the dozer
in hostile environments and enable it to withstand heavy attacks.

The D9R, the latest generation of D9 bulldozers in IDF service, has a power of 405 to 410 horsepower (302 to 306 kW) and

Israeli Engineering Corps.[citation needed
]

The main IDF modification is the installation of an Israeli-made armor kit, which provides armor protection to the mechanical systems and to the operator

RPG rounds. The fitted armor package adds roughly 15 additional tons to the production-line weight of the D9. The modified D9 bulldozers can be fitted with disparate features, such as crew-operated machine guns, smoke projectors, or grenade launchers
.

The IDF uses the D9 for a wide variety of engineering tasks, including

armored fighting vehicles and infantry, as well as structures demolition
, including under fire.

During the

RPGs
and belly charges with more than 100 kg and even half a ton of explosive. Therefore, they were used to opening safe routes for IDF forces and detonate explosive charges. The bulldozer was used extensively to clear shrubbery and structures which could be used as cover.

Following several incidents where armed Palestinians barricaded themselves inside houses to prevent

engineering vehicles
were used to bring them out by razing the houses.

United States

Further information: Gulf War § Bulldozer assault, and Rome plow

During the first

Conflict in Iraq say that the D9s were found very effective and "received highly favorable reviews from all that benefited from their use".[2]

  • D7 with Mine-Clearing blade
    D7 with Mine-Clearing blade
  • US Army D9Rs with Israeli IDF armor kits
    US Army D9Rs with Israeli IDF armor kits

Other military forces

Other military forces, such as the

Egyptian army
, also used armored bulldozers, to destroy civilian homes.

The

Soviet military developed dedicated dozer-blade-equipped armored vehicles, the IMR series, based on main battle tank
chassis.

The

Islamic State
has used armoured bulldozers, including civilian bulldozers up-armoured with steel plate and slat armour, capable of withstanding small arms fire and even rocket propelled grenades, as SVBIED's or suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices. The tonnes of explosives packed into these armoured bulldozers are capable of destroying entire buildings.

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ Caterpillar Defense Products' Line, PDF, Caterpillar website.
  2. ^ Field Report: United States Marine Corps Systems Command Liaison Team, Central Iraq, 20 April to 25 April 2003.

External links

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