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 At the time 8x8 armored vehicles are
dominating world markets, the introduction of new tracked armored vehicles is
unusual. Still two new tracked vehicles were unveiled at
Eurosatory 2006 – the Swedish
CV90120-T and the German
Puma Armored
Infantry Combat Vehicle. The CV-90120 is a new member of the BAE Systems
Hägglunds CV90 family of which over 1,000 tanks and AFVs have been
produced to date. It is the first member of this family to be armed
with a low-recoil 120mm gun and introduces innovative soft and
hard kill protection to augment the basic light armor. It was designed
from the beginning to operate in either high intensity or asymmetric warfare.
Both vehicles were displayed were equipped with a wide range of new weapons, armor
and protection, optronic systems, C4I and vetronics.
The Puma will be the new
Armored Infantry
fighting Vehicle (AIFV) developed for the German Army. Display of the
prototype at Eurosatory 2006 was the first time this new vehicle was presented to an international audience, only one
month after its official rollout in Germany. The vehicle was displayed
by the German manufacturer PSM GmbH - a joint venture of Krauss Maffei
Wegmann and Rheinmetall Defence. The German Army is expected to
procure 405 vehicles for a total cost of 3 billion Euros. Initial
production orders are expected by mid 2007, following parliamentary
approvals. PSM is currently working toward the delivery of five
pre-production vehicles, under a previous order issued in 2004. Puma
is equipped with an advanced 30mm automatic cannon firing AP or
ABM
munitions.
Smaller, but not less impressive were three new
configurations of the familiar Wiesel-2, developed for the new German Army
air-mobile fire support units. The three vehicles comprise the world's
first airborne 120mm mortar carrier, a reconnaissance and target
acquisition vehicle and a command vehicle, all utilizing the
modernized Wiesel-2 tracked chassis.
Adaptations for modern asymmetric combat dominated the tracked segment
of this year's Eurosatory show.
Two urban combat tank demonstrators were displayed – the French
Leclerc AZUR and the
Leopard 2 PSO. Apart from these radically
upgraded tanks, many companies displayed specific systems designed to
improve the tank's survivability, firepower and situational awareness
in urban warfare scenarios.
Under a parallel program to the Leclerc AZUR, upgrades to 108 AMX10P tracked APCs are
underway. The modifications including installation of appliqué
armor, and mobility
improvements including modified suspension, gearbox and rear ramp. The
first modified vehicle is expected to be completed by January 2007.The
AMX-10P will eventually be replaced by the new wheeled
VBCI, currently
undergoing qualification tests. Several versions of VBCI will be
produced.
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