In 2005 the Portuguese government signed a deal worth 364 million euros to acquire 260 Pandur II armoured vehicle, with an option for further 33 worth 140 million euros, to equip the Portuguese Intervention Brigade of the Portuguese Army and the marines of the Portuguese Navy. Portugal was the first country to buy Pandur II. The sale of Pandur II to Portugal includes an associated offset agreement for a value of 516 million euro.
The first 41 Pandur II were manufactured in Austria, the further 219 are being manufactured by Fabrequipa in Portugal.
The VBR Pandur II (Viatura Blindada de Rodas) for the Portuguese Army is fitted with Steyr add-on armour that provides Level 4 protection according to STANAG 4569. The vehicles for the marines are equipped with Level 3 armour and have a cargo ramp instead of the original doors. Due to the failure of delivery times by the manufacturer, the defense ministry took the decision to terminate the contract in October 2012 to that date had been delivered 166 vehicles, it then began a process of negotiation leading to an agreement in September 2014, this deal set the delivery of 22 more vehicles until August 2015. The original contract incorporated the option to acquire 33 Mobile Gun System with 105mm tower, but were never hired. This version were tested in Portugal in Santa Margarida Military Camp vehicles Pandur II with HITFACT 105 OTO Melara turrets and CT-CV 105 hp CMI Defence. From the original contract there will not be delivered 9 engineering vehicles, 31 with 120-mm mortar, two ambulance, 10 anti-tank, and one recovery vehicle, as well as all 20 amphibious intended for the Marine Corps.
105 Infantry Carrier Vehicle with 12.7mm machine gun
7 Infantry Carrier Vehicle with 12.7mm machine gun installed in RWS turret – turret is a Protector M151.
16 Command Vehicle
7 Recovery Vehicle
8 Medical Evacuation
5 Anti-tank Guided Missile – variant with TOW ITAS (Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided Improved Target Acquisition System) missile launcher
30 Infantry Fighting Vehicle – variant with SP30 turret with 30mm gun.
6 Signals
4 surveillance
The Pandur II 8×8 is an improved modular all-wheel-drive version of the Pandur 6×6 APC wheeled armoured vehicle. It was developed as a private venture by the Austrian company Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge and is currently in production for the Portuguese Armed Forces. Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge is part of General Dynamics European Land Combat Systems, which is also the parent company of MOWAG of Switzerland and Santa Bárbara Sistemas of Spain.
The most significant change is the introduction of an 8×8 configuration with more interior space. The construction is an all-welded steel hull with optional armour upgrades. The basic armour package is designed to protect against 7.62 to 14.5 mm (0.300 to 0.571 in) armour-piercing rounds (customers may select a choice of armour thickness). The vehicle is designed to be transportable in a Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. The driver is seated on the left at the front and the engine is to the right. The driver is provided with a single piece hatch cover as well as three day periscopes, one of which can be replaced by a passive periscope for night missions. The vehicle is fitted with a two-stage synchronized distribution gear box for both road and cross country use. Improved suspension will be fitted for optimum cross country mobility. The vehicle is designed to take a number of turret systems (such as the SP 30 turret also mounted on the ASCOD AFV of the Spanish and Austrian Armies), or it can be used as a standard APC with a mounted machine gun.
With the turret the vehicle can carry 6 infantry. Without the turret, it can carry 12.
The Pandur 8×8 APC is manufactured in Austria while export versions are also built in the Czech Republic and licensed versions in Barreiro, Portugal.
