Ridgeback

Ridgeback is a 4x4-wheel drive protected patrol vehicle based on the US Cougar platform. It also shares a high degree of commonality with Mastiff, its big brother. Ridgeback first deployed on operations in the summer of 2009 and provides protected mobility in urban and urban-fringe environments.

Ridgeback comes in three variants: battlefield ambulance, command variant and troop carrying vehicles. Ridgeback troop carrying vehicles are equipped with either a protected weapon station or a remote weapon station, and can mount a 7.62mm general purpose machine gun, 12.7mm heavy machine gun or 40mm automatic grenade launcher. Ridgeback is fitted with BOWMAN communications equipment and force protection counter measures equipment.

In the summer of 2013, the Army decided to bring Ridgeback into the core equipment programme for use in the Army 2020 force structure within the infantry and cavalry units. The Ridgeback fleet is being reconditioned after its service in Afghanistan and some are being converted from one variant to another to meet their new roles supporting the Army 2020 transformation and on future contingent operations.