Spanish Almogávares VI Paratroopers Brigade receives new VAMTAC ST5 SK95 to tow Light Guns.

According to a tweet posted on January 7 by the Spanish Ministry of Defense, the Almogávares VI Paratroopers Brigade has taken delivery of the new VAMTAC ST5 SK95 vehicle, which improves the mobility of its Light Gun L118/L119 howitzers. It was tested at CENAD in San Gregorio and will replace the MAT 18.16 trucks.
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The Almogávares VI Paratroopers Brigade has taken delivery of the new VAMTAC ST5 SK95 vehicle, which improves the mobility of its Light Gun L118/L119 howitzers(Picture source: Twitter account of the Spanish MoD)

The URO VAMTAC, initially a somewhat "clone" of AM General's Humvee in its baseline design, was developed by the Spanish company URO, Vehiculos Especiales S.A. so that it would meet the requirements of the Spanish military for a multipurpose, air-portable, high mobility off-road vehicle with good payload capacity.

The 4x4 URO VAMTAC’s curb weight ranges from 3,000 kilograms (6,600 lb) to 3,500 kilograms (7,700 lb), and has a payload capacity ranging from 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) to 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Both these specifications vary depending on the version. The URO VAMTAC has a range of more than 600 km (370 mi), and can negotiate 70% gradients and 50% side slopes. It is powered by Steyr Motors' M16-"Monoblock" engine (6-cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine, 135 kW (181 hp; 184 PS) coupled with a 5-speed automatic transmission. The I3 uses a 166 metric horsepower (122 kW; 164 hp) engine, while the S3 is equipped with a 188 metric horsepower (138 kW; 185 hp) one.

The URO VAMTAC has evolved in several versions:
* URO VAMTAC Rebeco (1998-2003)
* URO VAMTAC I3 (initially designed URO VAMTAC T3) (2004-2010)
* URO VAMTAC S3 (initially T5) (2004-2010)
* URO VAMTAC S3 Armored (2004-2010)
* URO VAMTAC ST5 (since 2013)
* URO VAMTAC ST5 BN3 (STANAG armor level 3) (since 2015)
* URO VAMTAC SK95 (light artillery tractor on an ST5 chassis) (since 2018)
* URO VAMTAC LTV (Light Tactical Vehicle) (2018)

VAMTAC is available in many different versions with different body types. The most popular variants are pick-up, command/control and chassis-cab. The chassis-cab variant can mount different types of shelters or cargo compartments. There are several specialized variants of the URO VAMTAC according to the armament and configuration used.

Several support variants have been produced with capabilities for towing, firefighting and resupplying. Notable variants include:
* LTV/Light Tactical Vehice, suitable as a light artillery tractor
* Ambulance vehicle with accommodation for two or four stretchers in the rear compartment.
* Anti-tank vehicle equipped with either BGM-71 TOW or MILAN-guided missiles. Currently, Spain is installing its Spike missiles in these vehicles.
* Anti-aircraft vehicle equipped with Mistral surface-to-air missiles. Currently, Malaysia is installing its ZPU anti-aircraft guns. Indonesian Army variants are equipped with Starstreak missiles.
* Artillery vehicle equipped with Type 63 multiple rocket launchers and M-63 Plamens.
* Command and communications vehicle, with a separate compartment in the rear section to accommodate communications equipment. This versión has four doors, cargo space and communication masts fitted on the corners of the shelter.
* PSYOPS vehicle, equipped with loudspeaker arrays.
* Fast Attack vehicle, designed for Special Forces and equipped for long-range reconnaissance and infiltration missions.

The Almogávares VI Paratroopers Brigade has taken delivery of the new VAMTAC ST5 SK95 vehicle, which improves the mobility of its Light Gun L118/L119 howitzers(Picture source: Twitter account of the Spanish MoD)

The Almogávares VI Paratroopers Brigade has taken delivery of the new VAMTAC ST5 SK95 vehicle, which improves the mobility of its Light Gun L118/L119 howitzers (Picture source: Twitter account of the Spanish MoD)

Driving compartment of an URO VAMTAC ST5 SK95 (Picture source: Twitter account of the Spanish MoD)

URO VAMTAC displayed at FEINDEF 2021 defense exhibition in Madrid (Picture source: Army Recognition)