The British Army has completed field trails of its new Advanced Composite Armored Vehicle Platform. This is the first fighting vehicle in Europe with a fiberglass/plastic composite hull. In theory, such a vehicle could have the same ballistic protection as one made of steel or aluminum, but would be lighter, generate less noise, and have a lower magnetic signature. The running gear is from the Warrior IFV and the 550hp CV8 Condor power pack is from the Desert Warrior. The vehicle has a weight of 24 metric tons, giving it an unusually high horsepower-to-weight ratio of 23. The composite armor provides protection from 14.5mm shells from all 360 degrees and against 30mm ammunition across the frontal arc. The composite hull survived 1800km of field trials and met its design specifications.--Stephen V Cole