The
ASCOD 2 SV is an armoured infantry fighting vehicle
designed and manufactured by Steyr now General Dynamics
European Land Systems. The ASCOD 2 (in Austria named
ULAN and in Spain Pizarro) is a tracked armored
vehicle in the class of 30 to 35 tons. The development
of the ULAN began under the name ASCOD (Austrian-Spanish
Cooperative Development) as a joint cooperation
between General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas
of Spain and Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug
GmbH. The ASCOD company consists of the Austrian
Company, Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug AG &
Co AG and the Spanish company, Santa Barbara Sistemas.
Following extensive trials with prototype vehicles,
the Spanish government placed the first contract
for the Pizarro early in 1996. The first prototype
(PT01) was completed in 1990, with the turret and
chassis being built in Austria and systems integration
taking place in Spain. Prototype 2 was completed
in 1992, and the last prototype was built in Spain
in 1994, baseline for the Spanish army version.
The ASCOD 2 SV is a modern, highly agile Infantry
Fighting Vehicle that can be adapted to meet the
reconnaissance requirement with the stretch potential
to meet other FRES SV roles. General Dynamics UK
is under contract with the UK MoD to adapt the vehicle
to meet the capability. The total FRES fleet requirement
is, once again, under review. FRES UV remains high
on the Army's priorities. ASCOD 2 SV has been designed
to a rating of 42 tonnes, and incorporates a fully
proven transmission rated at 45 tonnes. This means
the load carrying ability of ASCOD SV meets the
full Future Rapid Effects System Specialist Vehicles
(FRES SV) requirement now and won't require a major
upgrade programme to deliver all the variants. ASCOD
2 SV offers new levels of protection, from one common-base
platform which can meet the whole of the requirement.
ASCOD 2 turret is designed by Lockheed Martin UK
INSYS, specifically for the British Army's scout
role. In June 2010, less than 11 months after the
UK Scout / Specialist Vehicle (SV) Demonstration
Phase contract was signed, the Industry Team led
by General Dynamics UK has demonstrated impressive
progress on the programme. The Team has conducted
live-fire tests of the new Cased Telescoped (CT40)
cannon system integrated in the very first Scout
SV Turret, five months ahead of schedule. In July
2011, Little over a year since signing the Specialist
Vehicle (SV) contract between the UK Ministry of
Defence and General Dynamics UK, the first
test version of the reconnaissance variant,
Scout, has begun to take shape with the successful
joining of the Experimental Demonstration Unit (EDU)
turret to a “mule” base platform at
the first attempt.
The
vehicle's main armament is a 30mm dual-feed,
gas-operated Mauser MK 30-2 automatic cannon
with a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. Two banks
of six Wegmann 76 mm smoke/fragmentation
grenade launchers are mounted either side
of the turret, firing forwards. Turret control
is electro-mechanical and the turret is
fitted with a turret drive stabilization
system from Curtiss-Wright Controls of Gastonia,
North Carolina. Lockheed Martin UK has been
selected as one of the only UK-based companies
with the knowledge, skills and experience
to integrate the 40mm Case Telescopic Weapon
System, mandated as the cannon system for
FRES SV and the Warrior Lethality uplift
programmes. The large turret-ring diameter
of 1.7m is wider than older vehicles such
as Warrior, and the design increases space
further by placing the main ammunition feed
under armour outside the turret crew compartment.
Protection
The
ASCOD 2 SV system design withstood a number
of attacks from the latest mine threats
in its base configuration. The system also
enables enhanced levels of blast protection
to be fitted, enabling protection against
greater threats and providing the Army with
the ability to adapt rapidly to evolving
operational scenario. ASCOD SV offers the
latest protection against current and future
threats, a common-base-platform that fully
meets the FRES SV requirement, and provides
the best growth potential for future enhancement.
Propulsion
The
ASCOD 2 SV uses an upgrade chassis of the
Ulan/Pizarro armoured infantry fignting
vehicle. The Ascod 2 SV is motorised with
an MTU 600 kW 8V engine coupled to a Renk
256B transmission. Suspension is of the
torsion bar and trailing arm type with seven
dual rubber-tired road wheels either side,
drive sprocket at the front, idler at the
rear and three track-return rollers. The
upper part os the suspension is protected
with armour plates. In June 2011, Less than
11 months after the UK Scout / Specialist
Vehicle (SV) Demonstration Phase contract
was signed, the Industry Team led by General
Dynamics UK has demonstrated impressive
progress on the programme. The Team has
conducted live-fire tests of the new Cased
Telescoped (CT40) cannon system integrated
in the very first Scout SV Turret, five
months ahead of schedule.
Accessories
THE
ASCOD 2 SV will be equipped with the last
technologies of defense system and firing
control system.
Specifications
Armament
One
40 mm gun, one coaxial machine
gun 7.62 mm calibre
Country
users
FRES
Program
Designer
Company
General
Dynamics UK
Accessories
?
Crew
3+
7 soldiers
Armor
Front
14.5 mm and 7.62 mm firing
all around of hull and turret.
Add-on armour, IED protection
Many
of the rebels’ advocates here are urging the creation of one or
more “no-fly zones” over Syrian territory to protect the
opposition and permit it to set up a rival government on Syrian territory
that could then request additional military intervention ....
