Defense Minister Mario Kunasek officially handed over 32 BVS10 Hägglunds, specially adapted to the requirements of the Austrian mountain troops, to the Engineer Battalion 2 of the Mountain Brigade 6. The exceptionally all-terrain combat vehicle enables the protected transport of soldiers during operations in high mountains, in difficult terrain and off roads. “We are revitalizing our core task, military national defense,” said Kunasek. The BVS10 is manufactured by Hägglunds Vehicles, a Swedish unit of BAE Systems. The contract volume is 85 million euros.
The combat vehicle also increases the effectiveness of the mountain troops in disaster operations. Thanks to its off-road mobility and armor protection, the vehicle could be used in situations similar to those in the snow chaos of 2019, for example when it comes to reaching cut-off towns via roads that were closed due to the risk of falling branches or falling trees.
The Hägglunds is used in the mountain troops to transport soldiers, as a mobile command post, to rescue wounded soldiers from the battlefield and to transport equipment. In Pioneer Battalion 2, the Hägglunds play a crucial role in pioneer combat support in conjunction with the Husar combat vehicle (the Austrian variant of the Light Modular Vehicle LMV from Iveco) and the Pioneer Tank. Armament and armor make it possible, for example, to clear barriers under combat conditions.
The BVS10 consists of a front and a rear vehicle, which are connected by an articulated joint. The articulated joint is used to steer and drive the driving forces for the rear vehicle. The articulated steering makes it possible to maneuver the system with a particularly small radius. Each vehicle part has two powered rubber band chains that are used for propulsion on land as well as in water. Despite a combat weight of 16 tons - including around 12 tons of payload - the ground pressure of the BVS10 remains below 0.3 bar due to the wide tracks. This means that the vehicle can safely drive on ground that is not very stable and can no longer support an infantryman. It is powered by a 210 kW Cummins turbodiesel, which accelerates the vehicle up to 65 km/h on land and up to 5 km/h in water.
The two cabins can accommodate a driver and up to ten soldiers. They are protected against ballistic, mine and NBC threats. An all-round camera system provides a 360-degree field of view from the protected interior.
The combat vehicle is armed with a 12.7mm super-heavy machine gun in a WS4 Panther weapon station from ESL Advanced Information Technology. A snow blade can also be attached to make paths passable. A trailer with a payload of 1,500 kilograms can be coupled to the rear car.
The BVS10 is a further development of the widely used BV206. The load capacity has more than doubled and, above all, a higher level of protection has been achieved. In addition to Austria, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Sweden also use the BVS10.
Technical specifications
| Total weight: | max. 16 tons |
| Crew: | Driver + max. 10 people |
| Engine power: | 210 kW (285 hp) |
| Top speed: | 65 km / h |
| Armament: | 12.7mm super heavy machine gun |
| Dimensions: | |
| Length: | 8.23 meters |
| Width: | 2.25 meters |
| Height: | 3 meters (with weapon station) |
| Furnishing: | AC protection system, All-round camera system with 360 degree field of view, electrically remote-controlled weapon station, heater |
Gerhard Heiming
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