King of the road
Volume 11, No. 51, September 07, 2006
By Cpl Mike McSweeney and Cpl Corinne Boer

Big rig: Soldiers prepare the new Heavy Tank Transporter at RAAF Base Amberley. Photo by Cpl Mike McSweeney.

ARMY’s new Heavy Tank Trans-porters (HTT) have had their maiden convoy voyage from Brisbane to Puckapunyal following their handover at RAAF Base Amberley.

The $16 million HTT project will provide 14 HTTs for transporting a squadron of the over-sized and heavy Abrams tanks under the Land 907 project.

DG Land Manoeuvre Systems Brig Grant Cavenagh received the keys to the first three HTTs at a small ceremony at RAAF Amberley on August 23.

“We were set a demanding target by the CA, and MAN Military Vehicle Systems Australia and Drake Trailers have worked hard to exceed the contractual requirement,” he said. “Overall we’re 65 days ahead of schedule.”

The three HTTs travelled in convoy to Puckapunyal last week, although one detoured to Defence HQ in Canberra, where CA Lt-Gen Peter Leahy was able to see the impressive vehicle.
“It’s marvellous to see this bit of the project come together,” he said.

The HTTs will practise with Leopard tanks until the M1A1 Abrams arrive in Melbourne later this month. They will transport the Abrams to Puckapunyal and eventually to their home at 1CSSB.

A graduate of the first HTT conversion course, Pte Hayden Doubleday, said he enjoyed the intensive course and driving the modern vehicle. “It’s not too hard – you’ve just got to work out where all the buttons are,” he said.