GDELS to Present Its Pandur Evo Variant with Skyranger 30 Turret in Austria.

General Dynamics European Land Systems has announced the presentation of a new variant of its Pandur 6x6 Evo wheeled armored vehicle at the AirPower24 airshow, which will take place in Zeltweg, Styria, on September 6 and 7. This configuration combines a 30 mm Oerlikon cannon with Mistral surface-to-air missiles, demonstrating the versatility and modularity of this wheeled armored vehicle.
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A GDELS-Steyr Pandur PT24 armored fighting vehicle (AFV) equipped with the Skyranger 30 turret was photographed on 2 September 2024 (Picture source: GDELS)

The Pandur Evo equipped with the Skyranger 30 turret once again highlights the high modularity and multi-role capabilities of the Pandur concept. Used by the Austrian Armed Forces as a personnel carrier since 2018, the Pandur Evo fleet was expanded in February 2024 with an additional order of 225 vehicles in twelve different versions. In addition to the short-range air defense (SHORAD) system showcased in Zeltweg, other variants include the turreted mortar system recently exhibited at Eurosatory in Paris, as well as vehicles for medical evacuation, command and control, anti-tank, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and engineering missions.

In this new mobile air defense version, the Pandur is equipped with the unmanned Skyranger 30 turret. Based on the proven Pandur platform, powered by a 455-horsepower engine, this turret is armed with a 30 mm x 173 revolver cannon capable of firing airburst ammunition, as well as launchers for two Mistral guided missiles.

A radar and an electro-optical sensor package, including TV and infrared cameras and a laser rangefinder, are integrated for surveillance and target tracking. The vehicle houses two control consoles for the weapon system and fire control computers. The Pandur SHORAD, with mobility equal to other Pandur variants, is particularly suited for protecting infantry convoys from both manned and unmanned aerial threats, contributing significantly to the Austrian Army’s “defend-the-defender” concept.

As the largest airshow in Europe and the biggest event of the year for the Austrian Armed Forces, AirPower24 provides an ideal setting for the presentation of this new variant. The organizers expect around 300,000 visitors and the participation of 200 civil and military aircraft from 20 countries. In addition to dynamic aerial displays, the program includes presentations of the Army’s land capabilities and an international exhibition of technologies and industries.