The Czech Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 7 January that it will procure 20 Steyr Pandur II 8×8 wheeled armoured vehicles to fulfil an Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) requirement for staff command and communications platforms.

The MoD said it would order the vehicles directly from General Dynamics European Land Systems – Steyr (GDELS-Steyr) without tender and did not disclose a price for the procurement. According to Jiri Kominek, Jane’s Defence Weekly reporter, the 20 vehicles are to be ordered in July when funding becomes available from the defence budget. «The vehicle should not differ from Pandur vehicles already in service with the army, not only in visual appearance, but also in terms of fulfilling tactical-technical requirements», said the chief of general staff of the Army of the Czech Republic General Petr Pavel.

The ACR currently operates a fleet of 107 Pandur II armoured vehicles in several configurations including infantry fighting vehicle, armoured personnel carrier, and armoured ambulance. Gen Pavel said the MoD will order unequipped «bare» hulls from GDELS-Steyr and that an indigenous supplier will be selected to provide and integrate the necessary onboard computer hardware and communications systems. «We can more effectively co-operate with an indigenous supplier during the integration process and have greater influence over the type of systems installed which would not be possible with a foreign supplier», said Gen Pavel.

 

Product Features

Crew:                                        1 + 2 + 4

Combat weight:                  24,000 kg

Protection:                            Modular, scalable ballistic/Mine/IED (Improvised Explosive Device) and RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade) protection solutions in accordance with international/costumer specific standards; Signature reduction

Main Armament:               Steyr SP30 two-person turret with 30-mm automatic canon, fully stabilized, 7.62-mm auxiliary gun at commander’s hatch, 76-mm smoke grenade launchers, digital ballistic computer, automatic target tracking, full manual back up, day sight laser range finder, TI (Thermal Image) for gunner, day sight, remote TI display for commander

Length:                                    7.36 m

Width:                                      2.67 m

Height (hull top):                2.09 m

Ground clearance:             0.45 m

Track:                                         2.20 m

Wheelbase:                             1.53/1.40/1.40 m

Angle of approach:              41º

Angle of departure:             38º

Maximum speed:                   105 km/h

Fording:                                      1.5 m

Gradient:                                    70%

Side slope:                                  40%

Trench crossing:                      2.2 m

Vertical obstacle:                    0.6 m

Turning radius:                          9 m

Engine:                                            6-cylinder in-line Diesel, turbo­charged and intercooled developing 335 kW, EURO III compliant

Transmission:                              Electronically controlled automatic transmission with retarder, 6 forward gears, 1 reverse gear

Transfer case:                              2-speed

Longitudinal differential:      1

Axle differentials:                      4

Wheel drives:                               8

Steering:                      Power-assisted recirculating ball steering, first and second axle steered

Tires:                              All terrain heavy duty tires with run flat elements

Brakes

Main:                    Hydraulic dual-circuit disk brakes on each wheel

Parking:              Spring-loaded disk brake on shaft in transfer case

Suspension

1st and 2nd axle:        Independent; upper longitudinal control arm, lower transverse control arm; coil springs and hollow rubber springs

3rd and 4th axle:        Independent; torsion bars; hollow rubber springs

Electrical system:                24 V