BDX Armored Personnel Carrier (Belgium)
Channel: Main Battle Tank
Date: 18/01/2023

The BDX armored personnel carrier is the result of an agreement between Beherman Demoen of Belgium and an Irish holding company to manufacture the Timoney 4 x 4 wheeled APC in Belgium. The result, the BDX, first produced in 1977, is based on an Irish design, which has been produced in Ireland in limited numbers for the Irish Army. The Belgian BDX has been produced for both the Belgian Air Force (63) and the State Gendarmerie (80), while a further five have been supplied to Argentina.

   While the BDX is essentially similar to the Timoney some changes were introduced to suit Belgian requirements. The basic BDX APC does not have a turret, being an armored steel hull with access doors in the sides and rear. The troop compartment can accommodate up to 10 occupants, all provided with individual seating. an NBC collective protection or air conditioning system can be added.

   Some vehicles have a small dozer blade at the front for obstacle clearing. One unusual feature of the BDX is that, despite its bulk, it is amphibious, propulsion when in the water being supplied from the wheels although water jet units can be fitted to improve performance. A total of 13 Belgian Gendarmerie vehicles are fitted with a 81 mm mortar firing to the rear through roof hatches. It is also possible to install a small turret on the forward hull roof to accommodate either one or two 7.62 mm machine guns. Other turreted weapons could include 20 mm cannon, a breech loaded 81 mm mortar or a 90 mm gun.

   Various other variants have been proposed, including turreted anti-tank missile carrier, an ambulance and a 51 mm multiple launch rocket system. A diesel engine has been tested as a possible option.

   Since the BDX entered service numerous modifications and improvements, such as a revised suspension to allow greater weights to be carried and a revised front hull to provide the driver with more space, have been incorporated into an upgraded model known as the Valkyr. This variant has been produced in small numbers the United Kingdom by Vickers Defence Systems.