The British Army has identified a need for 1000 armored vehicles in a program that could reach $1.6 billion. The vehicles, which might be wheeled or tracked, would be armored to the same protection levels as the Warrior, and would be designed to serve alongside the Challenger-2 tank, Warrior infantry fighting vehicle, and the new UK-German 8-wheeled Multi-Role Armored Vehicle. The new Armored Battlegroup Support Vehicle must carry an 8-man infantry squad and be able to operate for 48 hours. It is to have night vision and an overpressure chemical-biological-radiological protection system. Production is to begin in 2007 and the vehicle is to reach field units by 2009. The vehicle will be produced in numerous variants, including armored personnel carrier, engineer vehicle, repair and recovery vehicle, anti-tank vehicle, mortar carrier, ambulance, command post vehicle, artillery or mortar forward observer vehicle, and other uses. The specifications to not require it to fit into a C130, but assume that it will be carried by heavy airlifters.--Stephen V Cole