26.07.2012

Spider cranes join the army

The British ministry of defence has invested in a fleet of 2.9 tonne Unic URW-376 spider cranes for military lifting duties.

The cranes have been subject to a number of modifications, including the special olive drab paint and then underwent a thorough testing procedure to ensure that they met the strict standards for the application.

The fact that the cranes are extremely portable and quick to set up and versatile make them ideal for a wide range of military applications, as does their ability to handle a variety of environments, from arctic to desert conditions.
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A Unic spider crane in its military uniform

The test units were put through a tough test programme at the RAF Brize Norton which included transporting them in the hold of a variety of aircraft, or slung underneath using chains or cargo nets.

One of the special modifications was a quick disconnect of the crane’s audio features which also dims all sources of light, in order to all the use of the cranes clandestinely. The machine’s traffic lamps have also been replaced with a sturdy LED light strip which can cope better with the rough transport and flying debris.

Unic Cranes Europe chief executive Graeme Riley said: “It is a real accomplishment for us as the master European distributor for Unic cranes to have our machines successfully make the grade with the MOD. We’ll be here to provide support and training along the way to ensure that our cranes prove to be an effective tool in aiding the British forces with their work.”