Portuguese Pandur

Further information: Pandur II

In 2005 the Portuguese government signed a deal worth 364 million euros to aquire 260 Pandur II, with a option for further 33 worth 140 million euros, to equip the Portuguese Intervention Brigade of the Portuguese Army and the marines of the Portuguese Navy.

History

• 15/11/2004 Finish Patria fails to deliver final proposal on legal time. Some sources alleged that this was intended to avoid international repercussions because the operational tests has put the AMV at third position after Steyr Pandur II and Swiss MOWAG Piranha.
• 2005 The contract is signed; the production would run from the year 2006 to 2009 at facilities in Portugal and at plants of General Dynamics European Land Combat Systems.
• 22/12/2005 Finish Patria, one of the loosing concurrents, alleges misconduct to the Public Attorney’s Office of the Administrative Court in Lisbon.
• 12/2007 Operational tests of a Pandur equiped with the CT-CV turret, with a 105mm gun, from belgian CMI Defence.
• 2008 Operational tests of a Pandur equiped with the Hitfact turret, with a 105mm gun, from italian Oto Melara.
• 12/04/2010 Portuguese MoD requires Steyr to adapt 10 Pandur with a turret armed with a 105mm gun. No further information is disclosed but this may implies that the option for further 33 Pandur will not be used. The possible turrets are the italian Oto Melara Hitfact and the belgian CMI Defence CT-CV, both of which already made operational tests at the training campo of portuguese mechanized forces, the Campo Militar de Santa Margarida, in the years of 2007, 2008.

Versions

• Transporte de pessoal com metralhadora 12.7 - APC armed with 12.7mm machine-gun and capable of transporting 11 soldiers.

(Portuguese Army: 147 - Portuguese Marines: 10)

• Viatura de comando - Command post vehicle.

(Portuguese Army: 24 - Portuguese Marines: 3)

• Viatura equipada com morteiro de 120mm - 120mm mortar carrier. The mortar has a rate of fire of 10 rds/min. and a range of 6 miles (9.6 km). 5 or 6 man crew.

(Portuguese Army: 31 - Portuguese Marines: 2)

• Veículo de recuperação e manutenção - Recovery and maintenance vehicle.

(Portuguese Army: 9 - Portuguese Marines: 1)

• Veículo com peça de 105mm - Variant with 105mm gun turret, either Oto Melara HITFACT or Cockerill CT-CV.

(Portuguese Army: 30)

• Ambulância - Ambulance.

(Portuguese Army: 12 - Portuguese Marines: 2)

• Viatura anti-carro (lança-misseis) - Anti-tank variant with missile launcher.

(Portuguese Army: 20)

• Viatura com canhão de 30mm - IFV version with 30mm cannon (MK30-2 in SP30 turret for army, MK44 in ORCWS turret for marines). Capable of transport 5 to 7 soldiers.

(Portuguese Army:32) (Portuguese Marines: 2)

• Viatura NBQ - NBC reconnaissance vehicle.

(Portuguese Army: 2)

• Viatura de engenharia - Vehicle for combat engineers.

(Portuguese Army: 9)

• Viatura de ponto de acesso de rádio - Radio access point station.

(Portuguese Army: 9)

• Viatura de vigilância do campo de batalha - Variant with battlefield surveillance radar.

(Portuguese Army: 4)

The Pandur II for the marine have a cargo ramp instead of the original doors

Armour

The Pandur II for the Portuguese Army is fitted with Steyr add-on armour that provides Level 4 protection according to STANAG 4569. The vehicles for the marines are equipped with Level 3 armour.