General Dynamics European Land Systems – Steyr (GDELS) has secured a contract to deliver an additional 225 Pandur 6×6 EVO wheeled armored vehicles. The contract, valued at 1.8 billion euros, was officially signed on February 19 in the presence of Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Minister of Defence Klaudia Tanner. The acquisition is a key component of Austria’s “Development Plan 2032,” focused on the comprehensive modernization of the Austrian Armed Forces. The newly ordered Pandur 6×6 EVO vehicles will not only serve as state-of-the-art personnel carriers but will also include flexible conversion kits for medical, command & control, and anti-tank missions. The order introduces eight new vehicle variants to the Armed Forces, further diversifying their military capabilities.
The Pandur 6×6 EVO vehicle family will see the incorporation of a 120mm mortar combat system, mobile air defense, and electronic warfare variants. This strategic expansion aims to significantly improve the Austrian Army’s medium infantry forces, providing them with increased mobility, protection, and overall effectiveness. The procurement of 225 additional Pandur Evolution in different variants is the largest acquisition by the Austrian Army in 20 years. With an investment volume of 1.8 billion euro, we are not only investing in the security of Austria but moreover in Austria as a business location. The economic impact of the deal, noting that with 70% value creation in Austria, the domestic Pandur production will secure and create jobs at over 220 companies. The ongoing production of the third batch will contribute to the creation of highly qualified jobs at the production site in Vienna.
The Pandur, originally developed by Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge (SSF), has evolved into the Pandur EVO 6×6, which is now produced by GDELS at its Steyr facility in Vienna Simmering. Previously, Pandur II 8×8 was supplied by GDELS-Steyr to Portugal and the Czech Republic. In 2015, General Dynamics stopped marketing Pandur II and sold the full rights to this vehicle to the Czech company Excalibur Army (part of the Excalibur Group, which later became the Czechoslovak Group). At present, this company assembles Pandur II at a specially created site in Kop?ivnice. The Pandur II assembly kit is supplied from GDELS-Steyr in Vienna (Simmering). At the same enterprise, Pandur EVO was started for the Austrian army.
The Pandur EVO, with improved weight, protection, and engine power, has been in service with the Austrian Armed Forces since 1996 and is utilized by several countries worldwide. Pandur EVO compared to the Pandur I armored personnel carriers (supplied in the second half of the 1990s) with the Austrian army has increased weight, protection and an engine with a power of 455 hp. The Pandur EVO must be equipped with a WS4 Panther remotely controlled weapon station armed with a 12.7-mm M2NV machine gun and a 7.62-mm MG74 machine gun from ESL Advanced Information Technology (ESLAIT) GmbH, the Austrian division of the Israeli company Elbit Systems. For communication on the Pandur EVO, the radio stations CNR-9000 and PNR-500AT of the Israeli company Tadiran will be used.
