Pandur 8X8 APC
Encyclopedia
The Pandur II 8x8 is an improved modular all-wheel-drive version of the Pandur 6x6 APC wheeled armoured vehicle. It was developed as a private venture by the Austrian company Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge and is currently in production for the Portuguese Armed Forces
. Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge is part of General Dynamics European Land Combat Systems
, which is also the parent company of MOWAG
of Switzerland and Santa Bárbara Sistemas of Spain.
The most significant change is the introduction of an 8x8 configuration with more interior space. The construction is an all-welded steel hull with optional armour upgrades. The basic armour package is designed to protect against 7.62mm (0.3in) to 14.5mm armour piercing rounds (customers may select a choice of armour thickness). The vehicle is designed to be transportable in a Lockheed Martin
C-130 Hercules
transport aircraft. The driver is seated on the left at the front and the engine is to the right. The driver is provided with a single piece hatch cover as well as three day periscopes, one of which can be replaced by a passive periscope for night missions. The vehicle is fitted with a two stage synchronized distribution gear box for both road and cross country use. Improved suspension will be fitted for optimum cross country mobility. The vehicle is designed to take a number of turret systems (such as the SP 30 turret also mounted on the ASCOD AFV
of the Spanish and Austrian Armies), or it can be used as a standard APC with a mounted machine gun.
With the turret the vehicle can carry 6 infantry. Without the turret, it can carry 12.
The Pandur 8x8 APC is manufactured in Austria while export versions are also built in the Czech Republic and licensed versions in Barreiro, Portugal.
is fitted with Steyr add-on armour that provides Level 4 protection according to STANAG 4569
. The vehicles for the marines are equipped with Level 3 armour and have a cargo ramp instead of the original doors.
Czech Pandurs II 8x8 also include navigation, information, communication and identification system. The Pandurs without RCWS-30
will be unarmed or equipped with Rafael Mini-Samson RCWS-12.7. Rafael RCWSs bought by Czech republic: 78x RCWS-30, 14 RCWS-30 (with no Spike-LR
missiles), 93 Mini-Samson RCWS units that carry 12.7mm machine gun. Its Cummins ISLe T450 455HP diesel engine can be removed and replaced in 30 minutes.
Czech Army - A first batch of 17 Pandur II will be delivered to the Czech army by the end of the year, with the remainder to be rolled out by 2013. The Czech army will receive the following variants: 72 IFV's with the RCWS-30 turret, 11 command post vehicles, 8 reconnaissance vehicles with and 8 without radar, 4 ambulances and 4 engineer variants.
- 1 Pandur II for testing
Portuguese Army
- 233 Pandur II 8x8, Portuguese Navy
- 20 Pandur II 8x8. In 2005 the Portuguese Government signed a deal for 353 vehicles in 15 different variants, of which 218 will be produced locally under license by Fabrequipa. The purchase price was EUR 364 million. The armament includes variants with Steyr SP 30 turrets and ranges from cal. 12.7 mm machine gun to cal. 120 mm mortar. The first batch of vehicles arrived in early 2008. On October 1, 2007 the first batch was rejected by the Portuguese Government, citing "unfulfilled technical requirements". Also cited were "technical problems" with the vehicle's hydraulic and night vision systems, detected during the initial trials.
Portuguese Armed Forces
The armed forces of Portugal, commonly known as the Portuguese Armed Forces encompasses a Navy , an Army and an Air Force...
. Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge is part of General Dynamics European Land Combat Systems
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
, which is also the parent company of MOWAG
MOWAG
MOWAG is a Swiss company which develops, designs and produces armoured vehicles for military applications in both land-only and amphibious configurations. These vehicles have gross vehicle weights ranging from 9t to 30t. More than 12,000 armoured wheeled vehicles of the type Piranha, Eagle and DURO...
of Switzerland and Santa Bárbara Sistemas of Spain.
The most significant change is the introduction of an 8x8 configuration with more interior space. The construction is an all-welded steel hull with optional armour upgrades. The basic armour package is designed to protect against 7.62mm (0.3in) to 14.5mm armour piercing rounds (customers may select a choice of armour thickness). The vehicle is designed to be transportable in a Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
transport aircraft. The driver is seated on the left at the front and the engine is to the right. The driver is provided with a single piece hatch cover as well as three day periscopes, one of which can be replaced by a passive periscope for night missions. The vehicle is fitted with a two stage synchronized distribution gear box for both road and cross country use. Improved suspension will be fitted for optimum cross country mobility. The vehicle is designed to take a number of turret systems (such as the SP 30 turret also mounted on the ASCOD AFV
ASCOD AFV
The ASCOD armoured fighting vehicle family is the product of a cooperation agreement between Austrian Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG and Spanish Santa Bárbara Sistemas The ASCOD (Austrian Spanish Cooperation Development) armoured fighting vehicle family is the product of a cooperation agreement between...
of the Spanish and Austrian Armies), or it can be used as a standard APC with a mounted machine gun.
With the turret the vehicle can carry 6 infantry. Without the turret, it can carry 12.
The Pandur 8x8 APC is manufactured in Austria while export versions are also built in the Czech Republic and licensed versions in Barreiro, Portugal.
Portuguese variants
The VBR Pandur II (Viatura Blindada de Rodas) for the Portuguese ArmyPortuguese Army
The Portuguese Army is the ground branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in co-operation with other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the defence of Portugal...
is fitted with Steyr add-on armour that provides Level 4 protection according to STANAG 4569
STANAG 4569
NATO AEP-55 STANAG 4569 is a NATO Standardization Agreement covering the standards for the "Protection Levels for Occupants of Logistic and Light Armored Vehicles".The standard covers strikes from Kinetic Energy, artillery, and IED blasts....
. The vehicles for the marines are equipped with Level 3 armour and have a cargo ramp instead of the original doors.
- Transporte de pessoal com metralhadora 12.7 - APC armed with 12.7mm machine-gun and capable of transporting 11 soldiers.
- (Portuguese Army: 147 - Portuguese Marines: 10)
- Viatura de comando - Command post vehicle.
- (Portuguese Army: 24 - Portuguese Marines: 3)
- Viatura equipada com morteiro de 120mm - 120mm mortar carrier. The mortar has a rate of fire of 10 rds/min. and a range of 6 miles (9.6 km). 5 or 6 man crew.
- (Portuguese Army: 31 - Portuguese Marines: 2)
- Veículo de recuperação e manutenção - Recovery and maintenance vehicle.
- (Portuguese Army: 9 - Portuguese Marines: 1)
- Veículo com peça de 105mm - Variant with 105mm gun turret, either Oto Melara HITFACT or Cockerill CT-CV.
- (Portuguese Army: 30)
- Ambulância - Ambulance.
- (Portuguese Army: 12 - Portuguese Marines: 2)
- Viatura anti-carro (lança-misseis) - Anti-tank variant with missile launcher.
- (Portuguese Army: 20)
- Viatura com canhão de 30mm - IFV version with 30mm cannon (MK30-2 in SP30 turret for army, MK44 in ORCWS turret for marines). Capable of transport 5 to 7 soldiers.
- (Portuguese Army:32) (Portuguese Marines: 2)
- Viatura NBQ - NBC reconnaissance vehicle.
- (Portuguese Army: 2)
- Viatura de engenharia - Vehicle for combat engineers.
- (Portuguese Army: 9)
- Viatura de ponto de acesso de rádio - Radio access point station.
- (Portuguese Army: 9)
- Viatura de vigilância do campo de batalha - Variant with battlefield surveillance radar.
- (Portuguese Army: 4)
Czech variants
The Czech Pandur II 8x8 CZ differs from its original version in a new, from inside of the vehicle controlled breakwater, and driver's hatch equipped with CDND-1 night vision aparature. The armor is designed to protect against 14.5x114 (with RAFAEL add-on passive armour). SSAB ARMOX 5000 armour steel is used for the bottom side of the hull. Standard Pandur II has a flat bottom, but Pandur II CZ has its bottom shaped to the "/\" (reversed "V"). Due to some sources this shape is better because it doesn't reflect the mine blast on the passengers. There are three robust cameras (left, right and rear) giving the ability to driver to reverse without leader's help or observe around the vehicle. Driver has one monitor for this purpose. The cameras are from Orlaco company much like monitor in troop section.Czech Pandurs II 8x8 also include navigation, information, communication and identification system. The Pandurs without RCWS-30
Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station
The Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station , also known as Katlanit is a Remote Weapon System that enables a variety of devices to be operated automatically or by remote control, including 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm, and 12.7 mm machine guns, 40 mm automatic grenade launchers, anti-tank missiles and...
will be unarmed or equipped with Rafael Mini-Samson RCWS-12.7. Rafael RCWSs bought by Czech republic: 78x RCWS-30, 14 RCWS-30 (with no Spike-LR
Spike (missile)
Spike is a fourth generation man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile with tandem-charged HEAT warhead, developed and designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and in service with a number of nations....
missiles), 93 Mini-Samson RCWS units that carry 12.7mm machine gun. Its Cummins ISLe T450 455HP diesel engine can be removed and replaced in 30 minutes.
- KBVP (kolové bojové vozidlo pěchoty) - IFV version equipped with upgraded Rafael RCWS-30. Upgraded RCWS-30 include: 30mm ATK MK 44, optional launcher pod for two RAFAEL Spike-LRSpike (missile)Spike is a fourth generation man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile with tandem-charged HEAT warhead, developed and designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and in service with a number of nations....
anti-tank/multi-purpose guided missiles, coaxial 7.62mm machine gun M240, and two triple (2×3) 76mm Wegmann smoke grenade launcher tubes. Fire-ready ammunition accommodates 140 high-explosive (HE) and 60 armor-piercing (AP) 30mm rounds, 2 Spike-LRSpike (missile)Spike is a fourth generation man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile with tandem-charged HEAT warhead, developed and designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and in service with a number of nations....
missiles, 460×7.62mm rounds, and 6×76.2mm smoke grenades. The missiles container is newly located vertically. In contradistinction to the original RCWS-30, the Czech RCWS has two new CCD/IR cameras with rangefinder/laser designator with 360° coverage. The original camera was replaced by a new one and a second camera is mast-mounted on the right side of the RCWS (circa 3,5 meters above the ground). The commander's hatch visor was removed. With new mast-mounted camera the commander gained new ability to independently observe the surroundings and to seek and track enemies (commander can take over weapons's control or designate target for gunner). All Czech IFVs will be equipped with mast-mounted meteorological sensor with laser illumination warner connected to FCSFire-control systemA fire-control system is a number of components working together, usually a gun data computer, a director, and radar, which is designed to assist a weapon system in hitting its target. It performs the same task as a human gunner firing a weapon, but attempts to do so faster and more...
. This mast-mounted system will be located on the left side of RCWS just like commander's independent thermal viewer.
- (Czech army: 72 ordered)
- KBV-Pz (průzkumné kolové bojové vozidlo) - reconnaissance variant, partially fitted with a battlefield surveillance radar.
- (Czech army: 8+8 ordered)
- KOT-VOV (kolový obrněný transportér - velitelské obrněné vozidlo) - command post vehicle.
- (Czech army: 11 ordered)
- KOT-Zdr (kolový obrněný transportér zdravotnický) - ambulance variant.
- (Czech army: 4 ordered)
- KOT-Ž (kolový obrněný transportér ženijní) - engineer vehicle.
- (Czech army: 4 ordered)
Slovenian variant
The KOV "Krpan" (Kolesno Oklepno Vozilo) from Sistemska Tehnika Armas is the Slovenian license version of the Pandur II with a number of improvements and with 55% of local components and subsystems. This APC was proposed to the Slovenian Army but lost competition to the Patria AMV.Operators
Austrian Army - The Austrian Army has stated a requirement for up to 128 Pandur II, to equip two army battalions, but is currently lacking funds for this purchase.Czech Army - A first batch of 17 Pandur II will be delivered to the Czech army by the end of the year, with the remainder to be rolled out by 2013. The Czech army will receive the following variants: 72 IFV's with the RCWS-30 turret, 11 command post vehicles, 8 reconnaissance vehicles with and 8 without radar, 4 ambulances and 4 engineer variants.
- 1 Pandur II for testing
Portuguese Army
Portuguese Army
The Portuguese Army is the ground branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in co-operation with other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the defence of Portugal...
- 233 Pandur II 8x8, Portuguese Navy
Portuguese Navy
The Portuguese Navy is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal....
- 20 Pandur II 8x8. In 2005 the Portuguese Government signed a deal for 353 vehicles in 15 different variants, of which 218 will be produced locally under license by Fabrequipa. The purchase price was EUR 364 million. The armament includes variants with Steyr SP 30 turrets and ranges from cal. 12.7 mm machine gun to cal. 120 mm mortar. The first batch of vehicles arrived in early 2008. On October 1, 2007 the first batch was rejected by the Portuguese Government, citing "unfulfilled technical requirements". Also cited were "technical problems" with the vehicle's hydraulic and night vision systems, detected during the initial trials.
See also
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