FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor The FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor or C . E . T . is an amphibious specialist armoured vehicle of the British Army and has been in general service since 1976 . The CET is used by Royal Engineers in ground preparation for bridge construction and towing activities in the front line of battle , such as digging vehicle fighting pits , constructing earthen barriers , repairing roads , recovery of disabled vehicles from water and other obstacles , preparing riverbanks for vehicle crossings and clearing obstacles . It is a tracked , lightly armoured vehicle , with amphibious capability . The two crew sit in tandem positions on the left hand side of the vehicle , each with a set of driving controls facing opposite directions . A large earthmoving bucket is fitted at the rear of the vehicle and a rocket - propelled anchor on a 100m hawser attached to an 8 tonne winch can be fitted to the front . When operated from the rear seat the bucket is used for earth moving ; clearing obstacles , paths or digging tank or gun pits and anti - tank ditches . When operated from the front - facing seat it can be driven on the road , and the anchor can be used to pull the CET up steep obstacles such as riverbanks . The winch rope can be deployed to the front or the rear of the vehicle with a maximum pull of 8 tonnes in both configurations . The vehicle is NBC ( Nuclear , Biological and Chemical ) proofed and has an air filtration unit , supplying clean air to the crew when operating with the crew hatches closed down in a contaminated environment . The NBC air system is also used to inflate the buoyancy aids required to trim the vehicle when swimming . An Auxiliary Lifting Attachment ( ALA ) - a davit with a winch rope roller - fitted to the inside of the earthmoving bucket was used for lifting loads of up to 4tonnes . Loads such as Medium Girder Bridge pallets could be lifted vertically to a height of 1 . 8m . This then allowed a cargo vehicle to back under the suspended load , the CET could not travel or turn with a suspended load on the ALA due to lateral weakness of the ALA and the proximity of the load to the earthmoving bucket . Use of the ALA was discontinued in the 1990s due to difficulties in annual testing of the safe working load , and a reduced requirement for its use . The amphibious propulsion is provided by to two Dowty water impellers , one mounted on each side of the vehicle and controlled by the commander in the rear seat facing forwards . The water jets are used to steer the vehicle when swimming , this is with the use of movable cowls directing the flow of water . When not in use , the propulsion unit water intakes are closed off with armoured covers to prevent damage during digging operations . Flotation aids are required to trim the vehicle for swimming and a " wash board " is fitted to the front of the vehicle to prevent the bow wave flooding the crew compartment when entering water . Maximum speed in water is 8 . 5 knots , the vehicle will wade in 1 . 8m of water and requires preparation for operating in deeper water this as it achieves buoyancy . From 2013 the CET is being replaced by a new , larger vehicle - the 30 tonne Terrier Armoured Digger . This is better protected , equipped with night vision and can be remotely operated if required in more hazardous circumstances .