Built Review

Introduction

The FV432 is the armoured personnel carrier variant of the British Army's FV430 series of armoured fighting vehicles. Since its introduction in the 1960s, it has been the most common variant, being used for transporting infantry on the battlefield. In the 1980s, almost 2,500 vehicles were in use, with around 1,500 now remaining in operation - mostly in supporting arms rather than front-line infantry service.

In the late 1950s, the then GKN Fighting Vehicle Development Division (FVDD) was awarded a contract for the construction of four prototype and 10 trials vehicles of the FV420 unarmoured light tracked vehicle, all of which were delivered by 1958.

Subsequently, GKN's FVDD was awarded the contract for the design and development of the FV432 family of APCs with the first contract covering fourprototypes and 13 vehicles for troop trials. In addition, Royal Ordnance (today BAE Systems Land Systems) was awarded a contract to build a further seven troop trials vehicles under GKN's design parentage. All of these vehicles were delivered by 1961.

The FV432 is of all-steel construction. The chassis is a conventional tracked design with the engine at the front and the driving position to the right. Directly behind the driver's position is the vehicle commander's hatch. There is a large round opening in the passenger compartment roof, which has a split/folding (concertina) hatch, and a (right hand) side-hinged door in the rear for loading and unloading. As in many designs of its era, there are no firing ports for the troops carried - British Army doctrine having been for