A good two years ago, the Austrian Armed Forces Steyr 6300 Terrus CVT tractors equipped with a highly protected cab from Achleitner for use at the Allentsteig military training area. Now the two Austrian companies want to roll out their product internationally as part of a cooperation.
The “Industry Days” at the Military Engineering Center of Excellence in Ingolstadt, Germany, kicked things off at the beginning of December. Steyr presented the Steyr Terrus Protect 6300 with 313 hp and Achleitner cab as well as the more powerful 6340 with 340 hp, which can also be delivered with a protected cab from the Tyrolean family business.
The target groups for the two vehicles are the military, but also other customers in high-risk sectors such as specialized fire departments and road maintenance companies in endangered areas. In addition to the high level of protection for the cab and vital vehicle components, the main selling points are the high road speeds combined with extreme off-road capability and a small turning circle of just eleven meters. The vehicle can also be used universally: dozer blades and clearing blades can be mounted on the vehicle, as can excavators and cranes, trenchers or front loaders.
The Achleitner cabins have been tested in accordance with the NATO STANAG 4569 standard and meet the requirements of protection class Level 3, which means that they can withstand the kinetic energy of 7.62×51 millimetre bullets and 155 millimetre HE ammunition (explosive grenades) as well as anti-tank mines with up to 8 kilograms of TNT. If required, Achleitner also offers individual customization including development, production and assembly of the basic concept and the original cockpit to meet specific customer requirements. According to the Tyrolean company, the highly protected cabin can also be visually covered.
“Our primary goal must always be to create a massively protected solution for use in the most difficult conditions.”
Achleitner Director Sales Andreas Lettenbichler
“We are very flexible here and can realize a wide range of customer requirements,” Andreas Lettenbichler, Director Sales, Projects and Products at Achleitner, told Militär Aktuell. “However, our primary goal must always be to realize a massively protected solution for operations under the most difficult conditions and, as the tractors already in use with the Austrian Armed Forces and the presentation in Ingolstadt show, we more than meet this requirement.”
Naturally, the manufacturer Steyr, which is part of the international CNH Group and still based in St. Valentin in Lower Austria, also sees great potential in the protected implements. “Our aim in Ingolstadt was to demonstrate the multifunctionality and versatility of our tractors to this special customer group,” said Marco Otten, Steyr Europe Business Manager Specialized Business, in a recent press release. Otten continues: “Steyr tractors have earned a good reputation for their versatility in various sectors such as agriculture, forestry and municipal services as well as gardening and landscaping. However, the tough and challenging conditions of military operations are probably the most demanding area of use. The trade fair gave us the opportunity to present the wide range of capabilities that we can realize in cooperation with our partner companies.” Postscript: “To our delight, the response from experts from the defense sector was extremely positive.”
“Steyr tractors have earned a reputation for their versatility in diverse sectors such as agriculture, forestry, municipal services, gardening and landscaping. However, the tough and challenging conditions of military operations are probably the most demanding area of application.”
Marco Otten, Steyr Europe Business Manager Specialized Business
Achleitner was also impressed by the echo of the presentation on the cooperation with Steyr/CNH with the Terrus Protect in Ingolstadt. “We were definitely able to make an exclamation mark there,” says Andreas Lettenbichler. “Now it’s a matter of developing this exclamation mark into concrete talks and even business deals. Thanks to Steyr’s market presence, we are also able to approach potential customers outside the security and defense sector.”
