The Ulan infantry fighting vehicle is the combat vehicle of the armored infantry of the Austrian Armed Forces and is used by the armored infantry battalions 13 and 35.
It scores with armor protection, mobility and firepower. Thanks to its powerful engine and a top speed of 70 km/h, the Ulan can easily follow the Leopard main battle tank in any terrain. Since the infantry fighting vehicle was first deployed in the army in 2003, it has undergone constant further development – as part of the so-called as part of the so-called “Mech Package” the army’s 112 Ulan vehicles are currently undergoing a comprehensive modernization.
The systems are being modernized by replacing the optics for commanders, gunners and drivers. Electronic components for the turret drive will also be replaced, the electrical system refurbished and the drive components replaced.
In the following, we take a look at some of the Ulan’s highlights and technical features:
Development
The armored personnel carrier was built by Steyr Daimler Spezialfahrzeuge AG (today General Dynamics European Land Systems-Steyr) and developed jointly with the German army. The Spanish General Dynamics subsidiary Santa Bárbara Sistemas was also involved in the development, and in Spain the Ulan was introduced into the army under the name Pizarro. The UK has ordered a total of 589 units of the successor model Ascod in different variants.
View
The commander sits on the turret on the left in the direction of travel, with the gunner on the right. When the hatch is closed, they have a 360-degree view of the surroundings using a thermal imaging device and angled mirror. 
Ventilation
Ventilation is currently provided by openable valves on the ceiling of the vehicle interior in the driver’s area, which act as small fans.
Quantity
The Austrian Armed Forces own a total of 112 Ulan infantry fighting vehicles – some of which are used with driving school cab attachments.
Motorization
The Ulan is powered by an MTU 8V-199 diesel engine with eight cylinders, which is located next to the driver’s seat.
Crew
The vehicle crew itself consists of three soldiers: Driver, gunner and tank commander. In addition, the Ulan can transport an armored infantry group with up to eight soldiers and their combat equipment.
Advantage for grenadiers
The Ulan can also be used to carry out all the tasks of the fighter force thanks to its high dismounted strength of eight soldiers. The great advantage for the Panzergrenadiers, however, is that they can also fight with the infantry fighting vehicle and are highly mobile thanks to it.
Equipment
The Ulan is equipped with an NBC protection system, a fire warning and extinguishing system as well as a fire suppression system, a fire control system with thermal imaging device and an automatic target tracking system.
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