Posted on 03/02/2006 3:50:36 AM PST by Cannoneer No. 4
More and more European armies, whether in NATO or not, are going over to wheeled armored vehicles. Some are likely to abandon tracked armored vehicles entirely, given current mission requirements (i.e., the increasing demands for troops trained and equipped for "peace and stability" operations). Among armies that have adopted or have announced that they will adopt wheeled armored vehicles are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Span, and Switzerland. In addition, a number of other armies outside of Europe are taking this route, either wholly or in part, including Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S., as well as Botswana, Chile, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.
The most popular European wheeled armored vehicles are:
Pandur II– An Austrian-built 6 x 6 armored personnel carrier, weighting about 15 tons, able to make up to. 100 kilometers an hour on land and 6 on water, armed with anything up to a 90-mm cannon. A somewhat larger 8x8 version can tote a 105-mm gun.
Piranha III—A Swiss built 6 x 6 APC, weighing 11 tons, able to make some 100 kilometers an hour on land and capable of being armed with a variety of cannon or rocket launchers, up to 90-mm. There are also 4x4 and 8x8 variants.
Centauro B-1—An Italian-bult 8 x 8 armored reconnaissance vehicle, that's essentially a light tank without a tread, weighing 24 tons and able to make 100 kilometers an hour, armed with a 105-mm gun in a turret, plus machine guns. There are a number of variants.
When the United States Army went looking for a wheeled armored vehicle a decade ago, it looked at all the above vehicles, but chose a similar one (LAV III) made by General Motors Defense of Canada, as the basis for Stryker vehicles. General Motors Defense now owns the company that makes the Piranha III. The Strykers are heavier, more expensive and more capable that other wheeled armored vehicles. The Stryker is criticized, for all that, but its success in Iraq has quieted a lot of the criticism.
The success of the Stryker in combat has encouraged many nations to go with wheeled armored vehicles. The fact that the combat in Iraq is similar to what is faced in most peacekeeping missions was also noted. As a result, nations going with wheeled armored vehicles are giving serious consideration to the more expensive (as in twice as much) Stryker type vehicles. This means investing a lot more in electronics, sensors and communications gear (which is what makes the Stryker so much more expensive.)
The tracks are losing.
ping
Shoot no shoot?
On the Way!! followed by Oh, Shit! means you probably won't be getting that promotion.
V-300
With the collapse of the Soviet Union the possibility of large scale war in Europe has faded away. Besides a 6x6 drive train will get you through a lot of snow.
Great pics.
Just noting that some of these wheeled APC are now designed to be top-heavy, easy to roll over. This is bad if you are on crappy road in Afghanistan but good if your APC is hit with a road-side bomb.
The vehicle rolls over and the force of the blast is less directed into the vehicle and the soldiers inside. Some injuries from the rapid roll-over, but less shrapnel and blast injuries for the soldiers.
L
That's because there is no mud...
Until these Light TD's run into REAL armour.....
Then they have REAL problems, and probably a very short lifespan...
Life is all about choices, but you STILL better have a Heavy MBT in the Inventory..
Ping, son.
Hey, all they have to do in Europe is drive around and look cool. They are not going to deploy anywhere.
Of course, they may be called into action fighting the muslim uprisings in Europe coming in the near future.
Troops are just as dead whether killed in rollovers or by enemy action.
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