The Combat Engineers of the Belgian army will receive new equipment: ACEV, the Armored Combat Engineer Vehicle, will ensure mobility and counter-mobility and will support the survival of a detachment. ACEV is developed by the firm JCB under the denomination of HMEE (High Mobility Engineer Excavator). Its technical characteristics and level of protection will allow it to participate in missions abroad. Delivery is scheduled for the first quarter of 2022.
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The ACEV (Armored Combat Engineer Vehicle) has been developed by JCB under the denomination of HMEE (High Mobility Engineer Excavator) (Picture source: JCB)

JCB has a concession in the province of Limburg. This anchoring in Belgium will facilitate logistical support for the ACEVs. The contract allows calling the firm to carry out part of the maintenance in order to punctually relieve the units (for operational vehicles, the Belgian Army DGMR's policy is to keep maintenance levels O and I level within the Defense). Training is planned to train future operators and mechanics.

Commander T. Colette, head of the engineering office of the DG MR Landsystems, clarified: "After more than fifty years of loyal service, it was time to find a replacing the pioneer tank. Its level of protection is similar to those of Piranhas, Dingos and future Griffons ".

Designed on the basis of a versatile machine, it can, using its loading bucket and its excavation arm, intervene both in mobility and counter-mobility missions in the field of survival and safeguarding in support troops deployed.

The ACEV (Armored Combat Engineer Vehicle) was deployed in operation, in particular in Iraq and Afghanistan where it was able to prove its effectiveness in the field as well as its protection against IEDs (Picture source: JCB/U.S. Army)

As part of the support for mobility, it will be able to help with its loading bucket, clean debris on the routes, or even create a bypass when the situation demands it. As part of the counter-mobility, the vehicle will be able to create obstacles or dig antitank ditches. It is also able to contribute to the survival and safeguarding of a detachment by contributing to quartering works such as filling Bastion Walls. Finally, with accessories related (such as a fork or a pneumatic hammer), it will be able to help support the engineers in general. The ACEV is air transportable by C-17 Globemaster III, C-130 Hercules, and A400M Atlas.

ACEV is capable of traveling over 65 km/h on roads and has good mobility in tactical conditions. It is already in use in different nations such as the USA, UK, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Spain, and Australia. It was deployed in operation, in particular in Iraq and Afghanistan where it was able to prove its effectiveness in the field as well as its protection against IEDs. More than 1,200 units have already been produced.

Belgian Army’s six current pioneer tanks on Leopard 1 chassis will only partially be replaced. Another program, the Means of Support for Combat (MAC), is being studied to complement the ACEV around 2027.

The ACEV (Armored Combat Engineer Vehicle) is developed by JCB under the denomination of HMEE (High Mobility Engineer Excavator) (Picture source: JCB)