The Grizzly is built on the Abrams M1A2 SEP platform equipped with a full-width, mine clearing blade and a power-driven excavating arm. While buttoned-up, the crew of two will be able to operate all systems. The vehicle contains electric drives, an advanced open system vehicle electronic architecture, automatic depth control for the mine clearing blade, and provisions for digital battlefield command and control.

The Grizzly program was initiated in FY92 as a result of "lessons learned" during Operation Desert Storm. The Army leveraged the work conducted under an Advanced Technology Transition Demonstrator Program. A sole-source contract was awarded to United Defense, LP in September 1992 for Demonstration and Validation. Prototypes were delivered in 4QFY95. Early user experiments were conducted in February 1996, and the blade performance testing using automatic depth control was completed in November 1996. The program Milestone II decision was made in December 1996 and the system is currently in the design maturation phase of EMD. An LRIP is planned for April 2000 with full-scale production planned for FY03.

As the Grizzly is proceeding through the design maturation phase of EMD, T&E activity has been focused on the emerging configuration of the vehicle and its subsystems, as well as the scope of T&E required to assess the system's overall effectiveness and suitability.

Component level testing of the crew compartment automatic fire extinguishing system (AFES) occurred during FY98. Testing was conducted in a mock-up of the Grizzly sub-floor assembly consisting of a steel structure populated with surrogate components. Hydraulic fires were artificially initiated (spark gap) and the on-board fire-suppression system's ability to extinguish these fires was evaluated. One test event involving the static detonation of a rocket-propelled grenade through a pressurized hydraulic line was also conducted.

Testing against the mock-up Grizzly sub-floor assembly resulted in a greater understanding of the on-board fire extinguishing system. As a result of this testing, nozzles were repositioned within the sub-floor compartment to provide better dispersion of the arresting agent. The AFES is capable of extinguishing fires within the Grizzly sub-floor.

The location and orientation of the fire nozzles was critical in the ability of the AFES to extinguish sub-floor fires.