Estonia receives first armoured SISU 8x8 vehicle

Sisu Defence Oy has announced that it has delivered the first armoured SISU 8x8 military truck for Estonian Forces, with the Estonian Air Force receiving the vehicle in the beginning of November. The vehicle will serve as radar carrier vehicles for the Ground Master air surveillance system being supplied by Thales-Raytheon Systems to the Estonian Ministry of Defence (MoD).

According to the company, the SISU 8x8 radar carrier vehicle has an integrated hydraulic stabiliser system with automatic control that brings the radar in level position also when the vehicle stands on inclined or uneven surface. In the Ground Master air surveillance system there is also SISU 4x4 trucks that serve as Ancillary Vehicles.

Sisu Defence Oy and Thales-Raytheon Systems signed a contract in 2010 that would see the off-road military trucks to serve as platforms and support vehicles for the Ground Master 403 radar systems in specific delivery projects.

As well as radar carrier vehicles, the SISU 8x8 are in service as missile launcher vehicles, fire fighting vehicles, cargo transporters and recovery vehicles with a number of nations, including being fielded in UN and NATO led operations in Lebanon, and in Afghanistan.