For €1.8 billion

“Need to upgrade” – Austrian army buys new tanks

Martin Reischer, Managing Director of General Dynamics European Land Systems Steyr, Minister Tanner, Chancellor Nehammer and Chief of Staff Striedinger in front of one of the new wheeled armored personnel carriers(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

The Austrian Armed Forces are purchasing a further 225 of the "Pandur Evolution" wheeled armored vehicles for around 1.8 billion euros. At the signing of the contract, Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner and Chancellor Karl Nehammer (both ÖVP) emphasized the importance of upgrading.

Nehammer recalled that defense awareness had "increased significantly" since the beginning of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. With the process of rearmament now underway, "past mistakes" are being ironed out, said Nehammer. "This is an ongoing process," he said before signing the contract with General Dynamics European Land Systems in Vienna-Simmering, where some of the armored personnel carriers are manufactured.

"Jobs and tax revenue" 
"We must ensure that neutrality remains credibly defensive", emphasized the Chancellor. He saw a "special day" for the army and also a "good day" for the domestic economy. This is because over 70 percent of the added value remains in Austria, with over 200 Austrian companies involved in production: "That means jobs and tax revenue," said Nehammer.

The war in Ukraine has shown us that we need to upgrade our armored military mobility.

Verteidigungsministerin Klaudia Tanner

The Defense Minister was delighted with the "largest package for the land forces in 20 years". For a long time, people had felt safe in the past, but now "conventional war has returned to our continent", said Tanner: "This has shown us that we need to upgrade in the area of armored military mobility."

The wheeled armored vehicle during a demonstration at the contract signing ceremony(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

The armored vehicle is characterized by its maneuverability and high speed.(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

A look inside one of the new wheeled armored vehicles(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

Martin Reischer, Managing Director of General Dynamics European Land Systems Steyr, Minister Tanner, Chancellor Nehammer and Chief of Staff Striedinger in front of one of the new wheeled armored vehicles(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

The contract was signed in Vienna on Monday.(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

Deployment abroad too
To date, three different variants of the armored personnel carrier have been available, in future there will be twelve, including variants with a 120 mm mortar combat system, mobile air defence and electronic warfare. They will be deployed at home and abroad. They will mainly go to the third fighter brigade. How many will actually be deployed abroad depends on the respective mandate, says Tanner.

New personnel must first be found
In any case, recruiting the necessary personnel will be a challenge, Tanner admitted. The "Pandur Evolution" requires a crew of three and the appropriate mechanics.

The Managing Director of General Dynamics European Land Systems-Steyr (GDELS-Steyr), Martin Reischer, praised the cooperation to date with the army officials and experts. The duration of the contractual cooperation until 2032 means planning security, said Reischer, who announced plans to increase personnel. In addition, it will be possible to invest in further technological development.

Mobile and fast
The "Pandur Evolution" is produced in Vienna by General Dynamics European Land Systems and is a further development of the tried-and-tested "Pandur". The armored wheeled vehicle offers soldiers inside protection against splinters, infantry fire and mines and is characterized by its mobility and high speed. It is used by infantry units. The Austrian Armed Forces currently have just over 100 of these infantry fighting vehicles.