The Austrian Ministry of Defense placed an order with General Dynamics European Land Systems-Steyr on 30 October for the delivery of 30 additional Pandur 6×6 Evolution (Evo) armoured vehicles. The agreement was officially announced at a joint press event on January 26, 2021.
The new vehicles are designed as armored personnel carriers and can be quickly converted for other tasks such as CASEVAC (transport of casualties) thanks to their modular design. In combination with the 34 vehicles procured in 2016 (Militär Aktuell reported), which are stationed at the Pandur Evolution Competence Center at Jägerbataillon 17 in Styria, the Austrian armed forces will operate a fleet of 64 Pandur 6×6 Evolution vehicles in future. The vehicles that have now been ordered will be delivered in 2022 and 2023; the order is worth around 106 million euros. The revised version of the classic Pandur armored personnel carrier offers space for eleven soldiers and significantly increased protection against mines and IED threats. The vehicles are manufactured entirely in Austria and more than 200 suppliers (mainly SMEs) are involved in the program. “We are very proud to have been awarded this important contract,” says GDELS-Steyr Managing Director Martin Reischer. “The cooperation with the Austrian Armed Forces is excellent and underlines the high level of satisfaction with our products. In addition, this order secures hundreds of high-tech jobs due to the Austrian added value.” https://militaeraktuell.at/die-naechste-pandur-generation/ In her speech, Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner also emphasized the high national value-added share of 70 percent. “This investment ensures that our soldiers receive the best possible protection with very good mobility. By increasing the size of the fleet, additional tasks can be covered at home and abroad. The protection of our soldiers is my top priority. In addition, this procurement serves to secure and expand jobs in Austria; almost 200 companies from all federal states are involved in this project.”
Thomas Kauffmann, GDELS Vice President for International Business & Services, added: “We would like to thank the Austrian armed forces very much for their great trust in us and our vehicle systems. Austria is one of our home markets. As a reliable partner, we are determined to deliver these vehicles in the usual quality and according to schedule.”
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