Foxhound can resist IEDs and mines – but no planned date to leave Army service
Troop protection vehicles have been around for many years and advances in technology and better design have meant they can go further, faster and more places than ever before.
The Foxhound was brought into service as a replacement for the Snatch Land Rover used in Northern Ireland and Iraq – after many servicemen and women lost their lives in what troops nicknamed the "mobile coffin".
Composite materials inspired by those used in Formula One were used to make the Foxhound's protective pod, and the whole production line was modelled on the highly flexible ones used in racing – where to beat opposition teams, new developments need to be designed and implemented quickly.
The Foxhound is similar to the Jackal in that it is a four-wheeled vehicle with protection against IEDs and resistance to mines, although its protection is in part a function of its unique V-shaped hull that deflects the force of any blast away from the vehicle.
Also known as the Force Protection Ocelot, it is a kind of MRAP, or Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle.
Foxhound has an attached GPMG and can carry six soldiers – a crew of two as well as four passengers – within its rear pod.
These pods are modular and can be rotated in and out based on the mission requirements, just like a Boxer.
The Foxhound's pods are designed for utility, weapons carrying, command and logistics roles.
Classed by the British Army as an LPPV, or Light Protected Patrol Vehicle, it is designed to provide better protection against mines and Improvised explosive devises (IEDs), and it first appeared in Afghanistan in 2012.
Each vehicle weighs 7,500 kg and costs around £900,000.
Additionally, the vehicle can be mounted with an L7A2 General Purpose Machine Gun, or GPMG, allowing the Foxhound to provide fire support when required.
As well as patrolling in Afghanistan, the Foxhound has been fully integrated into British Army service and has proven itself to be a reliable vehicle.
It has been seen on the road in Kosovo, off road with 3 Rifles and away on exercises like Steadfast Defender and Steadfast Dart.
However, some of the military's hardware, including the Foxhound, has been earmarked for the scrapheap.
Up to 19 different British military vehicle variants are set to be scrapped, according to the Ministry of Defence.
Responding to written questions in February 2024, the then-Defence Procurement Minister, James Cartlidge, said the Army vehicles and aircraft would be removed from service by 2030.
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