The U.S. Army has expanded its fleet of vehicles designed for operations in extreme environments by awarding a new $35 million contract to BAE Systems to manufacture additional units of the Cold Weather All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV).
The agreement, announced on June 30, 2026, includes deliveries through the end of 2027 and is part of the United States’ strategy to strengthen its operational capabilities in the Arctic.
Based on the Beowulf platform developed in Sweden, the CATV was designed to operate in areas where conventional vehicles cannot go. Featuring two articulated tracked modules, the vehicle is capable of traversing deep snow, ice, flooded areas, rocky terrain, and even crossing rivers and lakes without additional preparation. It can carry up to nine troops, transport more than 4.5 tons of cargo, and has a range of up to 998 kilometers with specific adaptations.
The new order continues the expansion of the program launched in 2022, when BAE Systems won the competition following testing in Alaska under temperatures as low as -46°C. Since then, additional contracts have increased the planned fleet to approximately 163 vehicles, which will primarily be assigned to the 11th Airborne Division, a unit specializing in Arctic operations.
The fleet expansion is part of the United States’ strategy to increase its presence in the Arctic amid growing geopolitical competition. Washington cites Russia’s expanding military infrastructure and China’s growing interest in Arctic shipping routes and natural resources as key factors justifying investments in equipment capable of operating in some of the harshest climate conditions on Earth.
🇺🇸 BAE Systems Land & Armaments has been awarded a $34.5 million U.S. Army contract modification for the general-purpose variant of the Cold Weather All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV). @BAESystemsInc @BAESystemsLand @USArmy
The U.S. Army selected BAE Systems for the CATV program in… pic.twitter.com/rcaDvtkNV7
— DefPost (@defpostmedia) June 30, 2026
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Source and images: BAE Systems. This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
