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Canadian Forces – Armoured Heavy Support Vehicle System Trailer

Note: At the end of the CF combat mission in Afghanistan, all Armoured Heavy Support Vehicle Systems will go into storage in Canada.

AHSVS Tractor and Tank Transporter:  "Oh, you beautiful doll, you great big beautiful doll" Among the specialty variants of  the AHSVS are twelve 'fifth-wheel' tractors.  These trucks are primarily intended to tow tank transporter trailers. The trailers are 7-axled Doll [1]  S7Hs, specifically chosen to match the 65-t+ weight of the Leopard 2A6M tanks. The Doll trailers replace Tropco trailers leased from the Dutch for use in Afghanistan (standard CF low-boy trailers not being able to lift the Leopard C2).

The AHSVS tractor truck has already been described. The Doll trailer can carry up to 72 tonnes on its platform  (12.5m long by 2.89m wide, 3.47m with hinged extensions to support  Leopard 2A6Ms).  Hydraulic ramps and winches make for rapid loading. 'Trailer' is rather misleading since the S7H itself plays a big part in manoeuvring loads. As can be seen  (image: above, left), the rear four axles can be steered by remote control. The wheels of the two axles forward of  the steerable units are fixed. The front axles castor when the wheels are unlocked,  further aiding tight manoeuvring. The S7H is designed to perform well off-road. [2]

After extensive (and successful) trials at their Oppenau test facility,  Doll supplied two tank transporters to Canadian Forces (although in publication, the CF is identified only as "eine Armee der NATO") for  training  to familiarize CF drivers with these versatile 27-ton trailers. S7H trailers are flown out of Söllingen aboard Antonov An-124s. Six tank transporters were flown to Afghanistan with a  further six semi- trailers expected by mid-year.  S7H trailers will be used for much more than transporting tanks.

Also see: the predecessor to the AHSVS tractor trailer, the leased Dutch Tropco HET  (DAF XF95 & Broshuis Heavy Equipment Trailer).

[1] The maker, Doll Fahrzeugbau GmbH of  Oppenau, Germany, usually identifies itself as DOLL but  Doll is a family name not an acronym. [2] Doll designs and manufactures commercial trailers of all kinds. In the Vario series, Doll combines components in various combinations (from 2 to 7 axles) to suite different roles.  Designing for the construction industry prepared  Doll for off-road, heavy-duty, military trailers.