Upgrade for Pandur Armoured Personnel Carriers
The Armed Forces have started a program to modernise their Pandur armoured personnel carriers. Some of the vehicles will reinforce Austria's peacekeepers in Kosovo later this year.
Remotely-Operated Weapon Station
The upgrade involves the integration of an electrically-powered and remotely-operated weapon station. the new station can be rotated 360 degrees, and enables the gunner to operate the heavy machine gun safely from inside the vehicle. The Pandur vehicles will be equipped with a daylight camera, a laser rangefinder, a thermal imaging camera and a powerful searchlight. A smoke grenade launcher will improve security when leaving dangerous areas.
Protection and Equipment of Soldiers
Defence Minister Gerald Klug said: "This investment shows that step-by-step we are investing in the protection and the equipment of our soldiers. The modern equipment is a prerequisite to allow our soldiers to fulfil their missions successfully and above all safely."
First Vehicles Already Delivered
Five of these upgraded vehicles have already been delivered to the army. Three of them have been transferred to the 17th Infantry Battalion in Strass in southern Styria. The Battalion's soldiers were deployed for missions in Chad, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, in recent years.
Images related to this article
Soldiers of the 17th Battalion with upgraded Pandur personnel carriers.
The new remotely-operated weapon station.
The weapon station enables the gunner to operate from inside vehicle.