BvS 10 The BvS 10 is an All Terrain Armoured Vehicle produced by BAE Systems Land Systems Hagglunds of Sweden . This vehicle , referred to as the All Terrain Vehicle ( protected ) - ATV ( P ) or " Viking " by the UK forces , was originally developed as a collaboration between industry - Hägglunds Vehicle AB - and the UK Ministry of Defence ( MoD ) on behalf of the Royal Marines . The BvS 10 is similar to , but distinct from , the Bv 206 or Bv 206S . It is a much larger and fully amphibious armoured vehicle based upon the characteristic twin - cab , articulated steering system typical of Hägglunds all - terrain vehicles . The main differences from the older Bv206s are a more powerful Cummins 5 . 9L diesel engine , improved ground clearance , and newly developed chassis , power train and steering units that give the vehicle considerably enhanced speed and comfort on road and in terrain , as well as greater load - carrying capability ( up to 5 tons ) , and the ability to add various modular sub - systems such as add - on armour , weapon mounts , a load - changer and cargo platforms . Royal Marines . Originally designed for the British Royal Marines and named Viking , the vehicle underwent an extensive trials and development programme from 2001 - 2004 , led by Major Jez Hermer MBE RM , before the Royal Marines accepted 108 vehicles into service , with delivery commencing in 2005 . The Royal Marines Armoured Support Company took the vehicle on operations for the first time in Afghanistan in September 2006 , prior to the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group being formed in December 2007 . UK variants . The UK currently operates four variants of the vehicle : The Troop Carrying Variant ( TCV ) capable of carrying 2 crew plus 10 passengers ; the Command Variant ( CV ) , which carries 2 crew plus up to 8 passengers with the rear cab being designed as an enhanced digital communications platform , the Repair and Recovery Variant ( RRV ) , carrying 4 specialist maintenance vehicle mechanic crewmen and the Ambulance Variant ( AV ) . The rear cab of the RRV carries a HIAB crane , a full mobile workshop , an air compressor and a 9 tonne capacity capstan winch , together with hydraulic anchors . All three variants are fully air - portable under a CH - 47 Chinook helicopter , either complete or in two separate front and rear component parts and are also fully amphibious ; being capable of swimming in varying sea - states with a full load of passengers and stores . UK Viking vehicle variants are used as amphibious armoured all - terrain vehicles for troop transport and as vehicle repair recovery vehicles . UK deployments . Some 33 British Vikings , fitted with slat armour , were deployed to Afghanistan at the end of summer 2006 when the Royal Marines relieved the Parachute Regiment in Helmand province . Their low ground pressure is not enough to trigger most of the anti - tank mines in use in Afghanistan , but they have proved vulnerable to improvised explosive devices ( IEDs ) as they do not have a v - shaped hull or substantial under - body armour . Less than two years after being launched , Vikings complemented with the Singapore Technologies Kinetics ( STK ) Bronco - known as Warthog within the UK military . In July 2011 a landing craft from RFA " Cardigan Bay " landed two Vikings and Royal Marines of 539 Assault Squadron in Somaliland . They penetrated several miles of " bandit country " to meet up with an important clan chief and take him back to " Cardigan Bay " for a meeting with MI6 and Foreign Office officials . This was part of Exercise Somaliland Cougar , an operation to train Somali coastguards in anti - piracy techniques and to establish relationships with tribal leaders . UK follow - on orders . In May 2007 the British Ministry of Defence placed an order with BAE Hägglunds for a further 21 units , some of which are to be used as an equipment transporter for the new Watchkeeper unmanned aerial vehicle . Additionally on 26 June 2008 the MoD announced the purchase of an additional 14 Viking BvS 10 vehicles at a cost of £14 million . The UK Ministry of Defence ordered 108 Vikings from BAE Systems , Land Systems Hagglunds ( formerly Alvis Hagglunds ) , in three variants – Troop Carrier ( TCV ) , Command Vehicle ( CV ) and repair Recovery Vehicle ( RCV ) . In June 2008 , the UK MoD placed an order for a further 14 Viking vehicles , including nine repair recovery vehicles , one command vehicle and four troop carriers , for deployment to Afghanistan . In January 2009 , nine more vehicles were ordered . 99 Vikings are scheduled to be revamped in a £37 million project , improving their firepower , armour and protection . This upgrade will be completed in 2014 Netherlands Marine Corps . The BvS 10 is also in use with the Netherlands Marine Corps , 74 units have been delivered . Of which 46 are the APC version , 20 command vehicles , 4 repair and recovery vehicles and another 4 ambulance vehicles . Dutch Deployments . On 27 March 2008 the Dutch Parliament decided in favour of sending a 60 - men strong Marine reconnaissance unit to Chad in support of the EUFOR peacekeeping mission in the region . The marines will function as the eyes and ears of an Irish battalion . This will be the first operational deployment of the BvS 10 Viking in Dutch service after exercises in Norway and the UK . As part of the Dutch ISAF contribution , a Royal Netherlands Marine Corps company has been deployed to the province of Uruzgan in Afghanistan since July 2009 . Several BvS 10 Vikings have been modified with slat armour for this mission . French Order . On 18 December 2009 , the French Armed Forces placed an initial order for 53 BvS 10 Vikings , with the total order for 129 of the vehicles . Including servicing , the contract is estimated to be worth ₤220 million , and the vehicles will be assembled at the BAE factory in Sweden . This is a historic order , as it is the first French order for military equipment from the United Kingdom in decades . In placing the order , France broke with their tradition of supporting domestic products , in this case the Bronco All Terrain Tracked Carrier , built jointly by ST Kinetics and Thales . Swedish Order . On 5 January 2012 , it was announced that the Swedish Armed Forces decided to procure 48 units of the model BvS10 MkIIB , to be delivered starting in the autumn of 2012 , and deployed to the Swedish contingent in Afghanistan in the spring of 2013 . The contract is worth approximately 700 million SEK , and also includes support and training equipment . There are also options to order an additional 127 vehicles divided in three different batches in the future . On 25 September 2013 , Sweden agreed to buy 100 additional BvS10 vehicles for over $ 160 million , as part of the options agreed upon in the first order . See also . Similar vehicles with the BvS 10 ATV include :