The FV510 Warrior tracked vehicle family, are a series of British armored vehicles originally developed to replace the older FV430 series of armored vehicles. The Warrior started life in the MCV-80 project that was first approached in the 1970s, GKN Sankey won the production contract in 1980. GKN Sankey is now a part of BAE Systems Land and Armaments.
 

The Warrior is generally similar to the US M2 Bradley in layout, general looks, and battlefield role. It incorporates several design features in keeping with UK battlefield experience.

Passenger access is through a large electric powered door at the rear of the hull, rather than a drop down ramp as in the American M113 and M2 Bradley armored personnel carriers (APCs). There are no firing ports in the hull, in line with British thinking that the role of the APC/MICV is to carry troops under protection to the objective and then give firepower support when they have disembarked. Another reason is that ability of the average soldier to fire accurately out of the ports of a moving IFV has been questioned.

Warrior Section Vehicles are able to carry and support 7 fully equipped soldiers together with supplies and weapons for a 48 hour battlefield day in nuclear/biological/chemical conditions. The protection against small arms, missiles and anti-tank mines was proven during the UN operations in Bosnia. Additional (applique) armor can be fitted.

Warrior is driven by a Perkins-Rolls-Royce V8 Condor engine through an automatic gearbox. It is capable of a road speed of 75 km/h. The fully rotating turret carries a 7.62 mm caliber chain gun alongside the 30 mm cannon. Thales Optronics STAG thermal imaging sights are being added to upgrade the night fighting capability as part of the BGTI (Battle Group Thermal Imaging) program.

Combat history

* Operation Granby (Gulf War)
* United Nations duties in Bosnia with the UNPROFOR
* Operation Telic (2003 invasion of Iraq)

Armament

Armament Fitted to the two-man turret is a L21A1 30 mm RARDEN cannon and L94A1 EX-34 7.62 mm Hughes Helicopter coaxial chain gun. The cannon is capable of destroying most modern APC's at a maximum range of ~1,500 m.

Protection The vehicle is NBC proof, fitted with passive (upgraded to active in most vehicles) night vision and defensive grenade launchers (usually used with Visual and Infrared Screening Smoke - VIRSS).

Its armour is exceptional and has proved capable of protecting against mines - in Bosnia, a warrior drove over a Serbian anti-tank mine with little damage resulting.