Belgian Army Pandur armored vehicles now fitted with FN Herstal deFNder RWCS.

In 2019, 44 Belgian army's Pandur 6x6 armored vehicles were upgraded after more than 20 years of service. 31 of them currently remain in service. The Midlife Update (MLU) cost over €31 million. Now, the Pandurs are fitted with an FN Herstal deFNder RWCS, a precious addition for the vehicle's user: the ISTAR battalion.
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Pandur parading in Brussels on Belgium's National Day (21 July 2023) (Picture source: Alain Henry de Frahan)

Among other things, the Pandurs received new armoring, air conditioning, and a second raised floor plate with dampers for improved protection against mines and IEDs. The users quickly deplored some design problems caused by the internal volume reduction (because of the added floor, people measuring more than 1.70m face real difficulties in getting in and out of the vehicle), as well for the driver’s position, and regarding the safety in driving the updated vehicle. Hence, the suspension and other mechanical components were changed, which solved the mobility problems. But not the access problem which remains unsolvable.

A much more recent modification is the addition of a DeFNder Medium remote control weapon station, identical to the model mounted on the brand new Soframe CRV recovery vehicles and DAF 4x4 and 8x8 trucks whose delivery has just started. Only the weapon differs: a 12.7mm heavy machine gun for the Pandur, but a 7.62mm for the trucks.

The deFNder Remote Weapon Stations provide optimized remote firing capability day and night while keeping the operator completely under armor protection. The deFNder Medium is the medium-weight remote weapon station of FN Herstal RWS family. It can integrate all FN Herstal machine guns up to .50 cal, including the unique FN M3R machine gun with high firing rate of 1,100 RPM. Its modular architecture and capabilities can be tailored to meet various self-defense or collective missions.

The Pandur is an APC developed and produced by the Austrian company Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge (SSF). It was developed during the 1980s as a private venture. In 2003, General Dynamics took over Steyr-Daimler-Puch which is now part of General Dynamics European Land Systems (GD ELS), which is also the parent company of Mowag, Santa Bárbara Sistemas and GD ELS – Germany.

The Pandur I variants in the Belgian army

* Pandur Recce & Observation (ISTAR): comprising a telescopic optronic mast with a maximum height of 5.3 m from the ground. Its end contains three different optics; a thermal camera (detection at 8 km, recognition at 4 km, identification at 2 km), a daytime camera with a color screen and continuous zoom and a rangefinder (measurement up to 8 km). The vehicle also includes a tactical information system BMS (Battlefield Management System), a navigation system with a magnetic compass and a GPS. 4 units in service.
* Pandur Ambulance: 10 copies are used by the Medical Component. The chassis is lengthened in order to increase the interior volume.
* Pandur Maintenance: 4 copies

FN Herstal deFNder Medium RWCS armed with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun (Picture source: Alain Henry de Frahan)

Rearview the FN Herstal deFNder Medium RWCS fitted on a Pandur (Picture source: Alain Henry de Frahan)

Defense News July 2023