Valuk
Encyclopedia
Lahko kolesno oklepno vozilo Valuk (LKOV, "Light wheeled armoured vehicle") is an improved and licensed version of Pandur 6X6 APC
, manufactured under a license manufacturing agreement with the Austria
n company, Steyr
Daimler Puch Spezialfahrzueg AG & Co KG (now part of General Dynamics Land Systems - Europe), by Sistemska Tehnika of Slovenia
for the Slovenian Army.
It is named after the Carantanian duke
Valuk
.
or 40 mm automatic grenade launcher. Mortar-carrier version carries CARDOM 120 mm mortar
.
The scout version of vehicle is equipped with a stabilised Overhead Weapon Station supplied by the Rafael Israel Armament Development Authority. The Overhead Weapon Station OWS-25
is armed with a 25 mm Bushmaster automatic cannon and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun
. The weapon station can also be fitted with externally mounted TOW
long-range anti-tank guided missiles.
sighting. The day periscope sight has a unity magnification window with a collimated aiming circle and an 8x magnification sight with a ballistic reticle. The night periscope sight has a unity magnification window and an image intensifier x7.5 magnification passive night elbow.
The main components of observation system are:
Rafael has supplied a passive add-on ceramic armour kit for the Valuk which provides 12.7 mm AP
round protection over the full 360 degrees.
The crew door at the rear of the vehicle is equipped with a periscope sight. The crew is protected against anti-tank
and anti-personnel mine
s and a full nuclear, biological and chemical warfare protection system is fitted. The crew compartment is fitted with an automatic fire detection and fire fighting system with 3 fire sensors and three Halon 1301 gas containers.
A version of the Valuk has been built with a rear ramp with an emergency door instead of two doors. The vehicle can also be equipped with a capstan type cable winch.
The 6x6 wheels have automatic tyre pressure regulation with a central tyre inflation system. The independent suspension system has telescopic shock absorbers on each wheel. There are coil springs on the first and second axle and torsion bars on the third axle.
The drive train and steering linkages are protected within the hull of the vehicle.
Pandur 6X6 APC
The Pandur is an APC developed and produced by the Austrian company Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge . It was developed during the 1980s as a private venture, based in spanish BMR-600 design...
, manufactured under a license manufacturing agreement with the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n company, Steyr
Steyr
Steyr is a town, located in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria. The town is situated at the confluence of the rivers Steyr and Enns. Steyr is Austria's 12th most populated town and simultaneously the 3rd largest town in Upper Austria....
Daimler Puch Spezialfahrzueg AG & Co KG (now part of General Dynamics Land Systems - Europe), by Sistemska Tehnika of Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
for the Slovenian Army.
It is named after the Carantanian duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
Valuk
Valuk (duke)
Valuk was a duke of the Slavic duchy of Carantania. After the attempt to capture Constantinople in 626 failed, the Avars turned towards the west and attacked the territory settled by Slavs. The Slavs then united under their leader Valuk, and joined forces with Samo to defend themselves against the...
.
Weapon systems
The transport version of vehicle is equipped either with 12.7 mm machine gunMachine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
or 40 mm automatic grenade launcher. Mortar-carrier version carries CARDOM 120 mm mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
.
The scout version of vehicle is equipped with a stabilised Overhead Weapon Station supplied by the Rafael Israel Armament Development Authority. The Overhead Weapon Station OWS-25
Rafael Overhead Weapon Station
The Rafael Overhead Weapon Station is a remote weapon station developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in cooperation with the Israel Defense Forces. It has been superseded by the Rafael Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station...
is armed with a 25 mm Bushmaster automatic cannon and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
. The weapon station can also be fitted with externally mounted TOW
TOW
TOW may refer to:* BGM-71 TOW, U.S. anti-tank missile* Maximum Takeoff Weight of an aircraft* Tug of war, a sport* Things on Wheels, video game...
long-range anti-tank guided missiles.
Command, Control, and Targeting systems
The gunner can survey, acquire and track a target, aim and fire from inside the turret with a closed hatch or in a head-out position. The gunner's station is equipped with a day and night periscopePeriscope
A periscope is an instrument for observation from a concealed position. In its simplest form it consists of a tube with mirrors at each end set parallel to each other at a 45-degree angle....
sighting. The day periscope sight has a unity magnification window with a collimated aiming circle and an 8x magnification sight with a ballistic reticle. The night periscope sight has a unity magnification window and an image intensifier x7.5 magnification passive night elbow.
The main components of observation system are:
- Doppler radar (optional; 48 km of max detection radius)
- Electro-optical subsystems: CCDCharge-coupled deviceA charge-coupled device is a device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, for example conversion into a digital value. This is achieved by "shifting" the signals between stages within the device one at a time...
camera (effective distance up to 20 km), FLIR and laser distance measurer - LTD (laser target designator)
- GPS
- BMS (battle management system)
- UHF/VHF radio station
- integrated electric generator (optional)
Self-protection
The standard armoured protection is rated to withstand 7.62 mm armour piercing rounds through a full 360 degrees, and 12.7 mm armour piercing rounds over a 30 degree frontal arc.Rafael has supplied a passive add-on ceramic armour kit for the Valuk which provides 12.7 mm AP
Armor-piercing shot and shell
An armor-piercing shell is a type of ammunition designed to penetrate armor. From the 1860s to 1950s, a major application of armor-piercing projectiles was to defeat the thick armor carried on many warships. From the 1920s onwards, armor-piercing weapons were required for anti-tank missions...
round protection over the full 360 degrees.
The crew door at the rear of the vehicle is equipped with a periscope sight. The crew is protected against anti-tank
Anti-tank mine
An anti-tank mine, , is a type of land mine designed to damage or destroy vehicles including tanks and armored fighting vehicles....
and anti-personnel mine
Anti-personnel mine
Anti-personnel mines are a form of land mine designed for use against humans, as opposed to anti-tank mines, which are designed for use against vehicles...
s and a full nuclear, biological and chemical warfare protection system is fitted. The crew compartment is fitted with an automatic fire detection and fire fighting system with 3 fire sensors and three Halon 1301 gas containers.
A version of the Valuk has been built with a rear ramp with an emergency door instead of two doors. The vehicle can also be equipped with a capstan type cable winch.
Engine
The Valuk is equipped with a Steyr 612.35 6-cylinder turbo diesel engine and a hydrodynamically controlled automatic transmission with a torque converter and lock-up clutch with 5 forward and 1 reverse gear. The engine provides a power-to-weight ratio of 20.4 kW per ton.The 6x6 wheels have automatic tyre pressure regulation with a central tyre inflation system. The independent suspension system has telescopic shock absorbers on each wheel. There are coil springs on the first and second axle and torsion bars on the third axle.
The drive train and steering linkages are protected within the hull of the vehicle.
Mobility
The turning radius is 8.5 metres and the maximum speed is typically 100 kilometres per hour. The ground clearance is 430 mm. The vehicle can negotiate natural and man made obstacles such as trenches up to 1.5 metres wide, vertical obstacles to 0.5 metres high, gradients of 70 per cent and side slope to 40 per cent. The Valuk can ford water to a depth of 1.2 metres. The combat weight is 13,300 kilograms.Versions
As with most modern infantry fighting vehicles, a number of versions and roles are available:- Transport version
- Crew: 3+6
- Armaments: 12.7 mm machine gun or 40 mm automatic grenade launcher
- Ambulance version
- Crew: 3+4/(2+3)/6
- Armaments: none
- Mortar-carrier version
- Crew: 2+2
- Armaments: CARDOMCardomThe Cardom , is a Soltam Systems 120mm Recoil Mortar System , used by the US army, the Israeli Defence Force, NATO countries, and others. The Cardom is an autonomous, computerized system for mounting on light and medium armored carriers...
120 mm mortar
- Scout version
- Crew: 3
- Armaments: 25 mm M242 BushmasterM242 BushmasterThe M242 Bushmaster is a 25 mm chain-fed autocannon. It is used extensively by the US armed forces, as well as by NATO's and some other nations' forces in ground combat vehicles and watercraft...
automatic cannon and a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, fitted using a RAFAEL Rafael Overhead Weapon Station (OWS-25)Rafael Overhead Weapon StationThe Rafael Overhead Weapon Station is a remote weapon station developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in cooperation with the Israel Defense Forces. It has been superseded by the Rafael Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station...