Hagglunds Armoured Engineer Vehicle a Kosovo success

21 June 2000

Hagglunds Moelv AS, part of the Alvis Group, is showing off its new Armoured Engineer Vehicle (AEV) at Eurosatory 2000, following its NATO deployment to Kosovo.

The first AEV was sent to the Balkans in August 1999 and proved itself to be well suited for the heavy and dangerous operations of demolishing damaged and booby-trapped buildings, removing obstacles from roads and clearing areas so that NATO camps could be established. Because of the vehicle's armour, the crew were protected from sniper fire and other ordnance.

By November 1999, two vehicles were in service in Kosovo with the first KFOR Norwegian Engineer contingent, in the British sector, under British command. The AEVs operated extremely efficiently and proved to be highly reliable and tough enough to handle the most demanding operations.

Consequently, they generated much interest from other nations deployed by NATO in the Balkans, resulting in the Norwegian Armoured Engineer Company providing several cross training sessions with British, American, Canadian, Swedish and Danish forces. AEV trials are now being arranged in several countries.

Whilst the NATO contingents are replaced every six months, the AEVs remain in theatre. One Hagglunds Moelv engineer, even took leave of absence to join the first contingent of Norwegian Engineers in Kosovo and commanded one of the Hagglunds AEVs there.

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