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Canadian Forces Armour
– EROC Buffalo Route-Opening Vehicle |
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Update: Canada has loaned one EROC Buffalo vehicle – complete with manipulator arm and
'spork ' – to the Australian Army for use by Royal Australian Engineers in Uruzgan Province. The on-loan
Buffalo is
joined by two EROC Cougars and four Husky detector vehicles.
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An Expeditious EROC Bovid – Force Protection's Buffalo
The CF's Expedient Route-Opening Capability (EROC) is an
equivalent to the US Army's Interim Vehicle-Mounted Mine Detector system. The Force Protection Buffalo
mineclearers are the largest of the IVMMDS vehicles. US Army Buffalos began clearing mines and
IEDs in July 2003. However, with NATO taking over in southern Afghanistan, the Canadian Forces
would lose the support of US IVMMDS. Luckily, the US was willing to let Canada jump the queue for their much-
in-demand MRAP [1] mine-protected vehicles. In May 2007, five Buffalo were ordered for EROC.
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The result was a very rapid service entry for these critically needed vehicles. The Buffalo arrived in
Canada within three months and first were deployed to southern Afghanistan in late September 2007 (3
Buffalo will be fully operational, the other two will be retained in Canada for training). The
Buffalo follows the established blast-resistant
vehicle pattern of a welded-steel crew capsule joined to a truck running gear (in this case, a Peterbuilt
semi).
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Force Protection Buffalo
EROC Vehicle — Specifications
| Powerplant: |
12 L, 330 kW, 6-cyl. Mack AI-400 diesel |
| Trans.: |
Allison HD-4560 P five-speed automatic |
| Dimensions: |
length x 8.2 m, width x 2.46 m, height
x 2.97 m |
| Weight: |
20.56 t, max (curb) 20,600 kg, GVW 38,180 kg |
| Payload: |
maximum payload up to 1,7580 kg (38,680
lbs) |
| Crew: |
2 (driver, vehicle commander ) + 12 EOD squad |
| Range: |
615 km (382 miles) with 320 L (85 gal) fuel tank |
| Performance: |
road speed: 105 km/h (65 mph), ford: 1m (40") |
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Within EROC, the role of the Buffalo is to uncover mines and IEDs (disarming or detonating them if
possible). Key to the role is the Buffalo's distinctive manipulator arm, an extensible crane tipped
with a tined claw dubbed 'spork'. The manipulator arm and 'spork' are remotely-controlled
from the relative safety of the armour cab – a camera and light are mounted on the arm giving the operator a
close- up view on his monitor of any suspected IED. In the case of the largest IEDs, an explosive ordnance
disposal team (aboard EROC Cougars) will denote from a
safe distance.
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[1] MRAP, the US Mine Resistant Ambush Protected program has been hugely expanded. A staggering 17,700
blast-resistant vehicles of various types are on order for the US Army and Marines. Among others, MRAP orders include
Buffalo, Cougar, Husky and RG-31 Nyala.
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