The Pandur I, a wheeled armored vehicle, has been in service with the Austrian Army since 1996 and is in service with the Kuwaiti National Guard
the Belgian Army and the Slovenian Army
Even the US Army awarded a contract for up to 50 Pandur vehicles to form the basis of the Armoured Ground Mobility System
Pandur I was first launched in 1985. Since then a series of pre-production variants have been produced to demonstrate a number of roles
from unarmed ambulance, to various turreted models mounting weapons from 12.7 mm machine guns to 30 mm cannon
The Pandur I series was subsequently replaced by the much improved Pandur II series incorporating a 6x6 or 8x8 wheel arrangement
as well as a more powerful engine
Despite this, Pandur I is still playing an active role in the armies of Austria, Belgium, Gabon, Kuwait, Slovenia, and the United States
Essentially, the Pandur I is an armored vehicle with a 6x6 wheeled configuration, built for multi-purpose in multiple combat roles
Its variants all share the same automotive components
The vehicle weighs about 13.5 tons, is 5.7 meters long, 2.5 meters wide, and 1.82 meters tall
The crew of 2 includes the driver and gunner, plus 8 fully armed soldiers in the passenger compartment
The design of the Pandur I is rather conventional, with angular slab armor across all critical facings to help deflect incoming enemy small arms fire
The design was given a relatively low profile to make for a smaller target
and six rugged, equally-spaced heavy duty road wheels to help promote excellent performance capabilities
The driver can maintain control of the Pandur I even if one of the front steerable road wheels is damaged or disabled
Pandur I can protect against 12.7 mm rounds in the 30° frontal arc and against 7,62 mm rounds everywhere else
The base model does not have a turret, although firing ports for the occupants' weapons can be provided in the hull sides
while two doors for the passengers are provided at the rear, there are also roof hatches
The various configurations include: Armoured Personnel Carriers fitted with light and heavy machine-gun cupolas and turrets
including the AV-30 and USMC Upgunned Weapon Station
Armoured Fighting Vehicles and Reconnaissance Vehicles, including the MultiGun Turreted System mounting 25mm, 30mm or 35mm cannons
Combat Support Vehicles including 9Omm, anti-tank, and mortar systems
and Service Support Vehicles including ambulance, engineer, logistics and command and control
The Pandur vehicle is powered by a Steyr WD 612 diesel engine, rated at 265hp
A tire inflation system gives optimised traction on all terrain due to continuously adjustable tire pressure
Maximum speed is 100km/h and cruising range is 650km
The Austrian Army began use of the Pandur I series in 1996 to which some 71 vehicles were ultimately delivered
Belgium undertook license production of the vehicle in five major variants numbering 45 examples in whole
The Kuwait National Guard, under the AV Technology International production banner, operated some 70 vehicles in six major variants
The Slovenian Army became a major producer (under license) and operator of the Pandur I
through its 85 examples and fielded these under the designation of "Valuk"
The United States Army purchased the Pandur I for possible use as the multirole "Armored Ground Mobility System" (AGMS)
also produced under the AV Technology product banner, in 50 examples for Special Operations Command (USASOC)