The ASCOD (Austrian Spanish Cooperation Development) armoured fighting vehicle family is the product of a cooperation agreement between Austrian Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG and Spanish General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas (both companies are now divisions of a unit of General Dynamics). In Austrian version is called “ASCOD ULAN”.
The ULAN mounts a 30 mm Mauser MK-30/2 autocannon in a fully traversable electro-mechanical turret. As secondary armament, the Ulan carries 200 rounds of 30 mm and 600 rounds of 7.62 mm rounds in the turret, a further 205 rounds for the 30 mm gun and up to 1,290 for the 7.62 mm machine gun are stored inside the hull.
The Ulan is fitted with a digital fire control system built by Kollsman. The gunner’s sight is manufactured by Elbit and the integrated thermal imager can be accessed by both the gunner and the commander.
The Ulan has been fitted with MEXAS composite armour, which increases ballistic protection against up to 30 mm APFSDS rounds fired. The Ulan is also fitted with spall-liners in order to decrease casualties in case of armour penetration.
The Austrian Ulan fitted withs a 720 horsepower (540 kW) MTU 8V-199-TE20 engine, Renk HSWL 106C hydro-mechanical transmission, suspension based on torsion bar and rotary dampers; designed and manufactured by “Piedrafita”.
