Australia Produce 4K 7FA Variants Light Combat Vehicles Armored

4K 7FA FSCV 90 Vehicle
Light Combat Vehicle This is a fire support variant of the Steyr 4K 7FA-KSPz armored personnel carrier. The basic chassis is topped with a turret mounting a 90mm French or NATO gun, and ammunition is carried instead of most passengers. Two passengers are retained as scouts so the vehicle can be used for reconnaissance. The top hatch is replaced by the turret, but all other hatches are retained, and two hatches are in the turret for the commander and gunner. This vehicle is used in small numbers by Switzerland and Greece.

Armored personnel carrier is very similar to the previous type of 4K 4FA . Body is made of welded steel plates. The previous anti-armor type was amplified up to 25 mm in front of the hull, allowing the crew protection against the effects of weapons to 20 mm caliber. The driving area is located on the left front of the hull. The right of the driver's compartment is located the engine compartment. Just driving and the engine compartment is located on the left lafetovaným gun turret with 12.7 mm. The turret is on the wall and equipped with armored protection, the head of the shooter. Just the four shooters are fitted the smoke grenade launchers, enabling shooting backwards.

4K 7FA Rasit Vehicle
4K 7FA Rasit This is a 4K 7FA KSPz armored personnel carrier modified to carry the Rasit ground surveillance radar and a computerized management system as well as extra radios and a datalink system to higher headquarters. The M-2HB turret is removed in this vehicle. The radar has a range of 30 km and may be operated by a cable at a range of 30 meters.

SK-105 Kürassier Vehicle
SK-105 Kürassier While the chassis of this light tank is of Austrian design, the turret is a modified form of that found on the AMX-13. The Kürassier, however, is afforded with a better night vision suite and better fire control than the AMX-13, and uses a 105mm gun as standard. The turret uses the same two-magazine system with 6 rounds each, and as with the AMX-13, the spent shell casings are ejected out of the rear of the turret.

There are three light tank variations of the SK-105 in service; export customers such as Argentina, Bolivia, Morocco, and Tunisia mostly use the SK-105/A1; the SK-105/A2 is the version most commonly encountered in Austrian service; and the SK-105/A3 was the newest version, in limited production before and during the war. In addition, appliqué armor of the same capabilities as that available for the AMX-13 is available for the SK-105 (however, an AMX-13 kit will not fit the SK-105 and vice versa).

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Pandur II 6x6 and Pandur II 8x8 APC Armament Systrm

Puch Spezialfahrzeug, the Austrian subsi-diary of General Dynamics European Land Combat Systems, builds the Pandur II 6 x 6 and 8 x 8 Pandur II, a further development of 6 x 6 Pandur APC which has been sold to six countries. The all-welded steel hull of the Pandur II protects against 7.62mm AP ammunition through a full 360deg and passive appliqu” armour can be added to withstand attack from 14.5mm AP ammunition. SDP is building 260 8 x 8 Pandur IIs for the Portuguese Army and Marine Corps in 10 configurations, including APCs and IFVs, and has an option for a further 33 configured as 105mm assault guns. The Czech Republic has bought 199 8 x 8 vehicles with an option for 35. The 8 x 8 Pandur II has a maximum combat weight of 20t including a 6.5t payload.

The Pandur II is available in a number of variants and can take variety of turret systems. A baseline 6x6 armored personnel carrier is designed to carry a crew of three and six troops. It can be armed with various weapons up to 90-mm caliber. The Pandur II 8x8 can carry up to 12 troops and can be fitted with weapons up to 105-mm caliber. Armor of this vehicle protects against 7.62-mm armor-piercing rounds. Optional add-on armor provides protection against 14.5-mm armor-piercing projectiles. Spall liners and improved mine protection are offered as an option. NBC protection and automatic fire suppression systems are also optional.

The Pandur II APC has a longer wheelbase comparing with it's predecessor. Vehicle is powered by the Cummins ISC diesel engine, developing 285 hp. Both 6x6 and 8x8 variants use the same engine. It can be removed and replaced during 30 minutes in field conditions.

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VBM 8x8 Freccia Infantry Fighting Vehicle Italian Armed Forces

The sixth vehicle under consideration for FRES was the 8 x 8 Freccia (Arrow) VBM (Veicolo Blindato Medio, Medium Armoured Vehicle) developed by the Consortium Iveco-Oto Melara for the Italian Army. The Freccia is derived from the 105mm armed Centauro tank destroyers that the consortium built for the army between 1991 and 1996 and features a slightly longer and narrower hull than the Centauro. The Freccia is protected against 20mm attack over the frontal arc and with all round protection against 12.7mm attack and can be fitted with up to three tonnes of additional passive or reactive armour. To service plans to buy 249 Freccias in six versions:

the baseline VBC IFV fitted with an Oto Melara Hitfist Plus two-person turret armed with a 25mm KBA cannon, a 120mm mortar carrier, an anti-tank vehicle armed with the Rafael Armament Development Authority Spike-Long Range missile, a command post, a recovery vehicle and an ambulance. The IFV crew consists of a commander, gunner, driver and seven infantrymen in the rear compartment. The Freccia can withstand a 6 kg TNT blast under any wheel and protection can be increased to withstand an 8 kg blast. The Freccia will equip two medium brigades while the army heavy forces will operate the Ariete tank and the tracked Dardo IFV.

The VBM 8x8 Freccia represents for the Army the point of departure for a wider plan than called Force NEC (Network Enabled Capabilities), the modernization of all acquisition of operating and technological abilities to take advantage of the opportunities offered from the modern technologies of information and communication. Such opportunities necessary in military missions, and anchor development and definition in the international field, represents conceptual reference so that modern Armed Forces can be organized, trained and employed. The VBM 8x8 "Freccia" is in fact the first half of the Armed Forces to exit from the assembly line completely digitized, that is equipped of systems and apparatuses concur that it of being a fundamental element of the modern operating system constituted of soldier, platform, robotics airplane and arrangments of commando and control. The elements are these that will characterize the operating structure of the future digitized medium Brigades.

The 26-ton Freccia, built by Italian firms Oto Melara and Iveco, represents the Italian Army's costliest program, with a first planned order of 249 vehicles running to 1.5 billion euros ($2.2 billion), and a final total order of 900 eyed by generals. But they believe it is the key to taking the Army into the 21st century. The contract for the supply to the Italian Army of the “FRECCIA” vehicles foresees a first tranche of 54 VBMs (50 in Combat version with the Oto Melara 25mm Hitfist turret, 1 in Anti-Tank configuration that adds two Spike missile launchers on the sides of the Hitfist turret, 2 Command Post equipped with the Oto Melara Hitrole 12,7mm turret and 1 Mortar Carrier), while the second tranche of 109 vehicles (61 Combat, 24 Anti-Tank, 12 Command Post and 12 Mortar Carrier) is presently under negotiation. A third tranche will follow to complete the Italian Army’s first requirement for 249 vehicles that will be entirely supplied within 2013.

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Asutralian Army Doctrine Visi And Mission

Australian Army

Australian national military strategic and military doctrine documents are produced by a number of entities, including the Department of Defence, its armed services, including branches of those services such as the Royal Australian Air Force’s Airpower Development Centre, the Army’s Land Warfare Studies Centre,
and the Royal Australian Navy’s Seapower Centre. These documents will reflect experience gleaned from Australia’s remarkable history of military operations,2 along with ongoing operations in areas as diverse as Afghanistan and East Timor, and review future security threats that may require committing Australian military
forces in order to defeat these threats. Australian military doctrine documents will reflect joint national military perspectives and the perspectives of individual branches of its armed services.

Australia Army

One document to initially consult is the 2000 Defence White Paper, Defence 2000: Our Future Defence Force. Prepared by the Conservative Coalition Government of Prime Minister John Howard, who was in power from 1996–2007, this document stresses that it was compiled by extensive governmental, military, and public consultation and that its goal is to explain Australian defense and strategic policies to Australia’s allies
and neighbors in the hope of promoting greater understanding of Australian security interests and preventing misunderstandings.

 Each of Australia’s individual armed services also produces resources on the military doctrine of their respective branches, including the text of doctrine documents as well as discussion and analysis of these resources. The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) Air Power Development Centre (http://www.raaf.gov.au /airpower/) has a number of useful resources. These include the four keystone documents of Australian airpower doctrine:

1• AAP 1000D Air Power Manual (2007), which stresses the role of air and space power in
Australian national security;

2• AAP 1000F Future Air and Space Operating Concept (2007), which emphasizes the roles
played by command and control, information superiority and support, and force application
and sustainment in national aerospace operations;

3• AAP 1000H Australian Experience of Air Power (2007), which reviews the historical development
of Australian military air power; and

4• AAP 1003 Operations Law for RAAF Commanders (2004), which covers topics such as the legal division between airspace and oceans, aerial targeting law, adhering to and enforcing the law of armed confl ict, and the legal role of deception in armed confl ict.

Australia Air Force

 The Airpower Development Centre Web site  also features papers such as Putting Space into RAAF Aerospace Power Doctrine (2003), working papers such as Operational Level Doctrine: Planning an Air Campaign (1993), and the text of selected other publications.

The Royal Australian Navy’s Seapower Centre Australia (http://www.navy.gov.au /spc / ) serves as the agency responsible for developing Australian maritime power and Australian naval doctrine and incorporating that doctrine into Australian joint military strategy.5 Publications here include the keystone information resource, Australian Maritime Doctrine RAN Doctrine 1 (2000), whose contents include the political, economic, and social factors affecting Australia’s maritime environment relationships; the origins of maritime strategic thought and how it affects current and future maritime strategic concepts; the operational relationship between air, land, and sea forces; and characteristics of maritime organization and campaigning.

Australia Navy

These include Occasional Series publications such as City Without Joy: Urban Military Operations in the 21st Century (2007) and the Monograph Series, which includes The Personnel Dimension of ADF Capability:
Future Vulnerability or Strength? (2004), and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (http://www.aspi.org.au / ), whose pertinent publications include ADF Capability Review: Royal Australian Air Force (2008) and Asian Military Trends and Their Implications for Australia (2008), and Australian National University’s Strategicand Defence Studies Centre (http://rspas.anu.edu.au /sdsc /).

All of these resources demonstrate that Australia is a model of transparency in providing information about national military strategy and doctrine and the doctrine of its individual armed services.

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Turkhis Made OTOKAR Yavuz 8x8 Armored Personnel Carrier

The Otokar Yavuz 8x8 has a crew of two and can carry up to 12 fully equipped troops. A number of occupants carried is reduced if vehicle is fitted with a turret-mounted armament. Up to 11 tons of cargo can be carried in place of the infantrymen. Troops enter and leave vehicle through the rear ramp or roof hatches. Commander and driver are provided with separate roof hatches.

The Otokar Yavuz 8x8 is armed with  remotely controlled 12.7-mm machine gun or 40-mm automatic grenade launcher. Vehicle is also offered with various armament, including  20- or 30-mm cannons. Armor of the Yavuz provides all-round protection against 7.62-mm armor-piercing rounds. Frontal arc protects from 12.7-mm armor-piercing rounds. Vehicle has a V-shaped hull, which provides improved protection against landmines. It is claimed that this armored personnel carrier can withstand a 12 kg TNT blast under any wheel.
In 2002 Otokar acquired a trailer and semi-trailer production company from Koç Group Company of Istanbul Fruehauf A.S. Later in 2002, with its experience in public transportation Otokar developed the small bus called the Navigo which is marketed in Turkey with Sultan brand. In 2003, Otokar initiated a cooperation with Singapore Technologies Kinetics (STK) for the new 8x8 tactical armored vehicle Otokar-Yavuz. In 2005 Otokar widened its line of armored vehicles.

 

On March 30, 2007, Turkey's "Defence Industries Executive Committee", the joint, government-military, body on major defence industry projects and contracts, decided for the country's "Undersecretariat for Defence Industry" to launch negotitations with Otokar on the eventual contractural agreement to develop and produce Turkey's first indigenous tank. These negoations began on April 6, 2007.

Various weapon systems can be fitted on the roof, including a remote weapon station armed with a 40mm automatic grenade launcher and a 7.62mm coaxial machine CAKE or a complete stabilized turret armed with a 25mm M242 Bushmaster cannon and 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. Additional 7.62mm machine guns can be mounted over the rear troop compartment. In addition, the vehicle can be configured to carry varying combat payloads - from turreted weapon stations (including 105 mm tank guns) to rocket launchers. The modular top deck allows for quick configuration change.

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CM-32 8X8 Yunpao (Cloud Leopard) APC Made Taiwan Military Industry

Following successful trials of four prototype vehicles Taiwan’s Ordnance Research and Development Centre is building 15 pre-production examples of the 8 x 8 CM-32 Yunpao (Cloud Leopard). The CM-32 is based on a design from Timoney Technology. Seven vehicles will be configured as APCs fitted with a remote-control weapon station armed with a machine gun and eight will be built as IFVs with a two-person turret armed with a stabilised 25mm M242 cannon. The APC will have a combat weight of about 22 tonnes while the IFV will have a combat weight of 24 tonnes. The army has indicated a requirement for 1,200 CM-32s including assault gun, command, 120mm mortar carrier, missile carrier, engineer and ambulance variants.

Explaining its FRES strategy the UK MoD wrote in May 2007: “To meet the Army’s minimum requirement for protection, the FRES Utility Vehicle needs to operate in the 27-30 tonnes weight range, without compromising capacity or mobility requirements. Only Current Development vehicles have the potential to achieve this, whilst retaining the ability to upgrade FRES in the future.” This stance is a clear reflection of the current threat to armoured vehicles in Afghanistan and Iraq from RPGs, land mines and improvised explosive devices. The need for survivability has blurred the ‘traditional’ distinction between lighter wheeled AFVs for medium forces and heavier tracked vehicles for heavy forces.

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FNSS 8x8 Pars APC and Terrex AV81 APC

A new firm on the AFV market is General Purpose Vehicles (GPV), of New Haven, Michigan, which developed the modular GPV series comprising the 4 x 4 Sentry, 6 x 6 Commander, 8 x 8 Captain, 8 x 8 Colonel and 10 x 10 General. Gross vehicle weights range from 16.28 tonnes for the Sentry to 37 tonnes for the General depending upon the protection level. An all welded steel hull will defeat 7.62mm AP ammunition and higher levels of protection can be fitted. The vehicle’s design incorporates a V-shaped hull to deflect mine blasts. Depending on the model two to four personnel, including the driver and vehicle commander, are seated in a front cockpit while up 12 personnel can be seated in the rear compartment. A variety of one and two person turrets and remote weapon stations can be integrated on the GPV family. Turkey’s FNSS Savunma Sistemleri AS is marketing the 8 x 8 model, named Pars for this purpose, to the Turkish Land Forces Command.

Terrex 8x8 AV81

Turkey’s Otokar is offering the Singapore Technologies Kinetics 8 x 8 Terrex AV81 to the TLFC. The AV81 was developed as a private venture by STK in collaboration with Timoney Technology of Ireland and the initial prototype unveiled in 2001 has been joined by two other prototypes, including one developed in conjunction with Otokar. With a maximum combat weigh of 24 tonnes the Terrex AV81 is designed to be carried by a C-130. The Terrex AV81 APC would carry a commander, driver and a 10-strong infantry section protected by an all welded steel hull to which additional passive armour can be added. A range of weapon stations and turrets, such as the two-person, 25mm cannon turret fitted to STK’s tracked Bionix 25 IFV, can be installed on the AV81.



The Terrex AV81 APC is one of the latest and most advanced APCs. Vehicle has a modular protection system. It's all-round armor protects occupants from small arms fire, while the frontal armor withstands 12.7-mm armor piercing bullets. Add on armor plates can be added for a higher level of protection. Vehicle has a V-shaped hull, which deflects mine blasts. It can withstand up to 12 kg TNT explosion under the hull and the vehicle still keep on moving.

Terrex AV81 in an APC configuration is armed with a single externally mounted 12.7-mm machine gun and a 40-mm automatic grenade launcher. It is also available in various turret-mounted armament configurations, but number of personnel carried is reduced. It is worth mentioning that the Terrex has a modular top deck and it's configuration can be changed from anti-tank missile carrier to a 105-mm fire support vehicle.

FNSS 8x8 Pars

STK has proposed the development of a family including a 105mm assault gun, command vehicle, 120mm mortar carrier, air defence vehicle and anti-tank missile carrier as well as 155mm/52 calibre self-propelled gun. The 8x8 Pars has a crew of two and can carry up 12 troops. Over 8 tones of cargo can be carried in place of the troops. The APC has an active hydropneumatic suspension system. It enables to adjust ground clearance electronically or to lean vehicle in any direction. Ground clearance is adjusted depending on road conditions. The Pars is also fitted with a central tyre inflation system.

This FNSS 8x8 Pars armored personnel carrier is powered by the Deutz diesel engine, developing 530 hp. Vehicles of the Pars family use the same automotive components. The FNSS claims that vehicle's unrefueled range is over 1 500 km. This APC has an active hydropneumatic suspension system. It enables to adjust ground clearance electronically or to lean vehicle in any direction.

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Paramount Mbombe 6x6 Armoured Fighting Vehicle South African Army Forces

The 6x6 wheeled vehicles is designed to carry significant payloads over all types of terrain, with extreme mobility. The three axle configuration provides excellent cross-country performance. Mbombe has a highly versatile platform and can be modified to cater to military requirements across the world. The platform has a modern design and incorporates the latest technology to reduce overall height.  The vehicle has ample space to accommodate a driver, commander, gunner and eight armoured infantrymen. The versatile platform allows the manufacturers to easily convert it into other variants. This maximum commonality provides flexibility and reduces the overall cost of owning and using the vehicle.

Mbombe incorporates commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) automotive assemblies and components supplied by volume-driven manufacturers. This will reduce the cost of ownership and increases the availability of components in the market.

The vehicle can be optionally fitted with central tyre inflation system (CTIS), run flat inserts (RFI), ABS brakes, BC overpressure system, auxiliary power unit, radios, intercom systems, add-on armour kits (active and passive) and battlefield management systems. Paramount Group moved into the production of its own land systems platforms in 2008. The group's activities centre on the m anufacture of aerospace, maritime and land systems, with a range of products including the refurbished Mirage F1AZ jet fighter aircraft, mine-protected vehicles such as Mbombe, Marauder and Matador as well as internal security vehicles such as the Maverick.

In September 2010 Paramount Group launched its latest armoured vehicle, Mbombe. The 6X6 infantry fighting vehicle offers an extremely high level of protection against anti-tank mines and improvised explosive devices with a revolutionary flat shaped hull offering STANAG 4569 Level IV protection.
Mbombe delivers sufficient power and retains its mobility characteristics even though it is configured as an AFV carrying modern automatic cannon. It is equipped with 6x6 wheeled chassis accommodating substantial loads over all types of terrain.

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Australia Mordernises Armored Personnel Carrier M113 Series

The Australia Army has contracted the upgrade of further 81 M113 vehicles. As a result, 431 M113 tracked vehicles will be upgraded to the AS3 and AS4 versions until 2011. The programme aims at the improvement of the vehicles’ protection, survivability and self-defence capabilities in response to the threads encountered
in international deployments. As a system house FFG Flensburger Fahrzeugbau GmbH is in charge of the vehicle technology and the integration know-how for the Australian M113 programme.

The Australian Army’s requirement for increased all-terrain mobility and improved vehicle logistics, are responded to by the modern M113G3/G4 propulsion system concept featuring a high performance power pack from MTU and ZF. FFG’s upgrade solution for the M113 has meanwhile been sold than 1.100 times globally.

To generate additional growth potential regarding in the vehicles’ transport capability, a number of vehicles will become subject to a hull extension programme according to FFG’s M113 WARAN concept. These vehicles will have a new gross weight of 18 t and an internal volume of more than 10 cbm under protection.

 Armored Personnel Carrier M113

  
Armored Personnel Carrier M113-M-2

Armored Personnel Carrier M113-MRV-1

Armored Personnel Carrier M113 Fitter

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