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armored D9R bulldozers]] The armored Bulldozer is a basic tool of Combat Engineering . These Combat Engineering Vehicle s combine the earth moving capabilities of the bulldozer with armor which protects the vehicle and its operator in or near combat. Most are civilian bulldozers modified by adding of armor and military equipment, but some are Tank s stripped of armament and fitted with a dozer blade. Some tanks have bulldozer blades while retaining their armament, but this does not make them armored bulldozers as such, because combat remains the primary role - earth moving is a secondary task. WORLD WAR 2 The first armoured bulldozer was developed by the British during World War 2. This was a conventional Caterpillar D8 Bulldozer fitted with armour to protect the driver and the engine. The work was carried out by Jack Olding & Company Ltd of Hatfield . The bulldozer was one of several strange armoured vehicles that were collectively referred to as Hobart's Funnies and were operated by the British 79th Armoured Division . The bulldozers were produced in preparation for the Battle Of Normandy with the tasks of clearing the invasion beaches of obstacles and quickly making roads accessible by clearing rubble and filling in bomb craters. As allied armies advanced through Europe, the armoured bulldozed was found to be too slow - there was a need for well-armoured, obstacle clearing vehicle that was fast enough to keep up with tank formations. This need was met by the Centaur Bulldozer - a Cromwell Tank with the turret removed and a bulldozer blade fitted. Centaur bulldozers were still in use with the British Army at the time of the Korean War . MODERN USAGE Modern armoured buldozers are often based on the Caterpillar D9 . Caterpillar does not manufacture a military version of the D9 ''per se'', but the attributes that make the D9 popular for major construction projects make it desirable for Military applications as well. It has been particularly effective for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and for the United States Armed Forces (the Marine Corps and the US Army ) in Iraq . Israeli usage Caterpillar D9R Bulldozer , nicknamed "דובי" ( Teddy Bear ) in Israel . Its armor allows it to work under heavy fire.]] .]] The Israeli Armored D9 — nicknamed ''Doobi'' (; lit. Teddy Bear ) — is a Caterpillar D9 bulldozer that was modified by the IDF and Israeli Military Industries to increase the survivability of the Dozer in hostile environments and enable it to withstand heavy attacks. The main IDF modification is the installation of an Israeli-made Armor kit which provides armor protection to the mechanical systems and to the operator Cabin . The operator is protected inside an armored cabin, with Bulletproof Windows to protect against bombs, machinegun and sniper fire. The IDF also developed an armor add-on to deflect RPG rounds. The fitted armor package adds roughly 15 additional tons to the production-line weight of the D9. Individually modified D9 bulldozers may be found with disparate features, such as crew-operated Machine Gun s, smoke projectors, or Grenade Launcher s. The Israeli Engineering Corps uses the D9 for a wide variety of engineering tasks, such as digging Moat s, clearing Landmines , mounting sand barriers, building Fortification s, clearing terrain obstacles and opening routes to Armored Fighting Vehicle s and infantry, as well as levelling peoples houses. > United States usage During the first Gulf War the USA purchased tractor protection kits (TPK) from the Israel Military Industries (IMI) for their Caterpillar D7 bulldozers. The armored bulldozers were mainly used in mine clearing applications. The United States Army has purchased several D9 armor kits from the Systems Command Liaison Team , Central Iraq , 20 April to 25 April 2003 ''). |
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