The New Zealand army unveiled June 9, 2011, its latest piece of kit, new $800,000 fully-armoured wheeled multipurpose combat tractors JCB 4CXM. The six US-made 16-tonne green machines - capable of 90 kmh - were put through their paces ripping around a paddock at Trentham today.

Officially named JCB High Mobility Engineering Excavators, or HMEEs, they are designed to operate with and support a deployment of armoured vehicles - clearing roads and removing obstacles.

The Combat Tractor will allow NZ Army Engineers to operate alongside the NZ LAV in areas that pose a greater risk to deployed personnel. It offers substantially greater protection and mobility than a normal JCB, and can travel up to 90 km/h over cross country terrain.

Lieutenant Colonel Rian McKinstry said the new tractors will allow operators to be protected from enemy fire, while clearing routes, building fortifications, or doing road works in dangerous areas.

The army has bought six of the vehicles, at a cost of $4.7 million. The cost included spare parts.