Spain Plans Initial Buy of 348 Piranha 5

Spain plans to initially buy 348 Piranha 5 eight-wheeled armored combat vehicles from General Dynamics’ Mowag unit, with fleet numbers to eventually exceed 1,000 vehicles at a total cost of 1.6 billion euros. (GDELS photo)

Appearing last week before the Parliamentary Defense Committee, Spanish Undersecretary for Defense Agustin Conde provided some insight into the Spanish Army's 8X8 Wheeled Combat Vehicle program. According to Conde, the first five test vehicles will arrive be delivered to the Army from 2018, and the first phase of the program provides for the acquisition of 348 units out of a total of 1,000.

Conde also said the entire program has an estimated cost of 3,836.29 million euros, of which 1,587.60 million euros for acquisition and 2,248.68 million euros for maintenance and modernization over their 30 years of service life.

The objective of this national program, led by a joint venture between Santa Bárbara Sistemas, Indra and Sapa, is to obtain an 8x8 Wheeled Combat Vehicle to replace the Army’s obsolete BMR wheeled armored personnel carriers.

First phase

The first phase will consist of the development, verification and validation on test-beds of five technology building blocks: Increased Security (PT-1); Situational Awareness (PT-2); Advanced Artillery Observer Vehicle (PT-3); Integration of Electronic, Communications and Information Systems (PT-4) and Powertrain Group (PT-5).

In addition, it is planned to develop a sixth technological program called, PT-0, Integration of Systems in Platform, which will integrate the five other technological programs in five demonstrators for verification and validation in an operating environment.

The System Analysis Phase has now been completed with the approval of the Requirements Review Document and the Operational Analysis of the Mission System. In addition, work is being carried out on the Conceptual Design Phase and the Preliminary Design Phase.

Starting in 2018, it is planned to receive the five technological demonstrators, which will certify the feasibility of the process and know if the requirements for this type of vehicles are met.

Once the demonstrators have been tested, it is planned to initially buy 348 vehicles, for four tactical groups, as the first phase of a a program which will comprise approximately 1,000 vehicles in total.

-ends-

Let's block ads! (Why?)

from Defense Aerospace - Press releases http://ift.tt/2o5sOuw
via Defense