The U.S. Army has received 19 more Cold Weather All-Terrain Vehicles of the Beowulf type from BAE Systems. The number of vehicles in stock thus rises to 58, with another 96 still on order. For the first time, some examples were also issued to the Army Mountain Warfare School operated by the Vermont National Guard. Additional units went to the Arctic Region Test Center in Alaska and to the 11th Airborne Division, which is also stationed there.
In August 2022 the U.S. Army had initially ordered 110 CATVs, and by December 2024 a further 44 CATV vehicles and spare parts to replace the Bv206 that had been in service for 40 years. Germany procures, together with Sweden, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands under the same acronym CATV but under the designation Collaborative All-Terrain Vehicle, a total of 367 vehicles, based on the same BvS10 as the Beowulf. By contrast with the base model, the latter is unarmored.
Beowulf Tackles Snow, Swamp, and Water
The vehicle consists of two cabins, each driven by two tracks. Steering is via the articulation joint that connects both cabins. It is powered by a Cummins diesel engine rated at 210 kilowatts, which accelerates the vehicle on land to up to 65 km/h. Thanks to the low ground pressure and the track propulsion, the Beowulf can transition seamlessly from solid ground to swampy terrain and into bodies of water, where it can swim. The maximum swimming speed is listed at four km/h.
With a total weight of 15.5 tons, the front cabin (where the drive is housed) can carry up to three tons of payload, and the rear cabin up to five tons. There is space for up to 14 soldiers. The vehicles are intended for use at extremely low temperatures (down to -50 degrees Celsius) in deep snow for logistics, patrol, medical, and command tasks. They are designed for national defense, support of civil authorities, and for search and rescue services.
