Breaking news
General Dynamics 8x8 armoured vehicle could be future wheeled combat vehicle of Spanish Army 12408151.
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Defence & Security News - Spain
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| General Dynamics 8x8 armoured vehicle could be future wheeled combat vehicle of Spanish Army. | |||
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The Spanish government has approved a first research and development (R&D) contract of €89.2 million (US $99 million) to develop an eight-wheel-drive prototype with Santa Bárbara Sistemas, a Spanish branch company of General Dynamics European Land Systems. (Source DefenseNews)
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 General Dynamics Piranha 5 8x8 armoured vehicle personnel carrier |
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The R&D contract announced by the Council of Ministers stresses the need to replace the existing American-built M-113 personnel carrier and the Spanish-built six-wheel-drive BMR vehicle.
The government launched this program five months before the general elections and after eight years of economic crisis. Six defense companies have offered their vehicles for the program: US-based General Dynamics with the Piranha Class 5 design; the French GTD-Nexter with the VBCI; Italy's Iveco-Oto Melara with the Centauro Freccia; Finland's Patria with the Patria AMV; German companies Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall with the Boxer; and the Swedish SEP developed by BAE Systems. However, the prototype bid of General Dynamics is the clear favorite. Spanish Defense Minister Pedro Morenés said it clearly in the national Parliament: “All the 8x8 armored vehicles must be constructed in Spanish factories.” Only two of the five companies fulfill this requirement — General Dynamics with Santa Bárbara Sistemas factories, and Iveco-Oto Melara. “The future 8x8 vehicle must provide the firepower, mobility, protection and projection needed for all types of scenarios, either high, medium or low intensity,” a Spanish Army source said. From 2018, the new vehicle will share the land protection force of the "new" Spanish Army with the main battle tank Leopardo 2E, the armored vehicle Pizarro and the mine-resistant RG-31 vehicle, following budget cuts of 30 percent in the last eight years. “The Army will move its priority in the next decade toward a multipurpose role with a high-speed capability of projection," the same military source said. "This is the other reason we need an 8x8 vehicle.” General Dynamics is already working on the prototype required by the Spanish Army that will be based on the Piranha V. The vehicle is designed by Mowag, the Swiss branch of the US defense company, which has built Piranhas for more than 20 armies. The US Army's Stryker vehicle is also inspired by the Piranha family. |
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The Piranha V was developed by the Swiss subsidiary company of General Dynamics European Land Systems. It was unveiled during the International Defense Exhibition in Paris, Eurosatory 2010.
The PIRANHA 5 sets a new survivability benchmark for the wheeled armored combat vehicle class and provides the highest levels of mine, improvised explosive device (IED) and ballistic protection. The PIRANHA 5 uses a 8x8 chassis with a MTU 6V199 diesel engine. The PIRANHA 5 features the latest height adjustable McPherson strut suspension technology which endows the vehicle with an extraordinary level of cross country mobility. The PIRANHA 5 is equipped with numerous other systems that enhance vehicle performance and flexibility such as the digital CAN backbone, fuel efficient drive train technology, integrated heating, air-conditioning and NBC protection system and the 120 kW Inline Starter/Generator (ISG). |
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