BAE delivers first tranche of Austrian BvS10s

BAE Systems has delivered the first four BvS10 all-terrain vehicles to the Austrian armed forces, the company announced on 25 February.

The vehicles will be fielded by the Austrian armed forces’ 24th Infantry Battalion, a battalion of the 6th Mountain Infantry Brigade, which plays a leading role in the European Union Mountain Training Warfare Initiative, and the 2nd Engineer Battalion, which can provide combat support in mountainous terrain.

The Austrian armoured personnel carrier (APC) variant of the BvS10 features a 360° observation camera system with six day/infrared cameras and displays in the front and rear of the cabin. The vehicles are fitted with remote controlled weapon station, which is foldable to allow for swift transportation in the field.

The BvS10 support operations in challenging terrains such as mountains and snow to transport personnel or cargo in combat and disaster relief scenarios.

Mario Kunasek, Austria’s Minister of Defence, said: ‘The ‘Hägglunds’ is the first combat vehicle for the mountain infantry, which makes possible the armoured transport of soldiers in Alpine operations and off-road. We thus put renewed focus on our core task of military defence.’

BAE Systems is under the contract, awarded in 2016, to deliver 32 of the APC variant of the BvS10 to the Austrian armed forces.