The Spanish Army have welcomed the inaugural batch of VCZ Castor Sapper Combat Vehicles. The delivery ceremony, graced by the Secretary of State for Defence, Mrs. María Amparo Valcarce García, alongside esteemed military officials, marks a significant leap in the nation’s defense strategy. Crafted explicitly for sapper units, the VCZ Castor represents a paradigm shift in bolstering armored units’ mobility and support. This state-of-the-art combat vehicle is purpose-built to execute missions crucial to enhancing the armed forces’ efficacy both domestically and on international assignments. The ceremony, held at GDELS Santa Bárbara Sistemas’ facility in Alcalá de Guadaira, commemorated the transfer of the initial six vehicles out of a series slated to reach a total of 36 by 2024. This milestone signifies a pivotal moment in Spanish military history, with the full complement of VCZ Castor vehicles scheduled for integration into the Army’s arsenal within the next year.
“This new capacity within our FAS heralds a substantial technological advancement, empowering our sapper units with heightened protection, enhanced operational capacity, and increased mobility crucial for mission success,” Mrs. Valcarce García said.
For Juan Escriña, the general director of GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas, the delivery of the VCZ Castor represents an unparalleled source of pride. “This marks a historic milestone as the first 100% Spanish-designed and manufactured vehicle expressly tailored for the missions of our Armed Forces’ sapper and engineer units,” he proudly asserted, emphasizing the vehicle’s embodiment of Spanish innovation and technological prowess.
The VCZ Castor (Vehículo de Combate de Zapadores) combat engineering vehicle is based on the ASCOD tracked chassis which is used by several armies in the world. The Castor’s formidable capabilities encompass robust firepower, incorporating a stabilised rotating armament comprising a 12.70mm machine gun. Augmented by all-weather target acquisition systems equipped with thermal cameras, the vehicle ensures precision firing while in motion and from within its confines. Its engineering prowess extends to executing diverse sapper tasks, from clearing obstacles to aiding in watercourse crossings, complemented by the flexibility to accommodate specialized sapper systems. The Castor still belongs to the second phase (fase II) instead of Spanish Army Pizarro fase III program. The Pizarro fase II includes 83 Pizarro II tracked infantry fighting vehicles and 36 Castor engineer vehicles. In 2022, Elbit chosen to supply light tanks to Philippine Army.
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 Spanish service, the vehicle is called “Pizarro”, while the Austrian version is called “Ulan”. Utilizing the ASCOD tracked chassis, the Castor underscores the platform’s adaptability. It demonstrates how the modularity of the ASCOD can cater to a wide range of roles, proving especially advantageous in this context for meeting the unique operational needs of the Spanish Army’s engineer units. The ASCOD family includes the LT 105, a light tank equipped with a 105 mm gun, a surface-to-air missile launcher, an anti-tank guided missile launcher, mortar carrier, R&R vehicle, command and control vehicle, ambulance, artillery observer, and the AIFV model.
