Faun is a manufacturer of ground stabilisation solutions that enable vehicles to negotiate challenging terrain.
The company, which operates from its headquarters in Anglesey, took delivery of its muscular 8x8 Arocs from local Dealer eStar Truck & Van. The vehicle is fitted with hookloading equipment by Hiab UK and has a mechanised body that is said to be capable of laying up to 50 metres of interlocking M150 Trackway aluminium panels over undulating terrain in less than five minutes.
This system is expected to ensure mobility for wheeled and tracked vehicles and aircraft when operating in adverse conditions such as marsh, snow and sand. It provides access in scenarios such as bridging ingress and egress and over the shore movements. The 4.6m wide M150 Trackway is transported on a Spool, then rotated 90 degrees for deployment and recovery.
The all-steel sprung Arocs 4148 chassis is rated at 41 tonnes gross vehicle weight but plated for operation at 32 tonnes. Its 12.8-litre in-line six-cylinder engine produces 350 kW (476 hp) and is paired with a 12-speed Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated manual transmission.
The vehicle underwent conversion from standard 8x4 configuration to all-wheel drive by Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ Custom Tailored Trucks division at Molsheim, in Alsace, France. To ensure the best possible traction, all four axles have differential locks and the wheels are shod with heavy-duty 14.00R20 tyres.
Faun product support manager Neil Wigley said: “Rapidly laid and requiring minimal manpower, our high-quality, portable land solutions provide access for vehicles needing to tackle challenging terrains in multi-climate environments. We’ll now be shipping our new Arocs to destinations all over the world, to demonstrate this technology to prospective customers at trade shows and in field trials.”