News

2012-11-01

PARS 8x8 Provides the occupants with protection

PARS 8x8 Provides the occupants with protection from 7.62 mm armour-piercing attack through full 360° coverage

The PARS is a new generation wheeled amphibious armored combat vehicle being designed and manufactured by FNSS Savunma Sistemleri (FNSS), Turkey. The vehicles are based on a system of vehicles to include a 6x6 and 8x8 using significant commonality of each vehicle sub-system, thereby reducing the logistics footprint and life cycle costs.

As the vehicle has open electronics architecture, it is claimed that inserting new technology can be achieved more easily as it becomes available. The Armored Amphibious Assault Bridge (AAAB) configuration of the vehicle has entered into service with the Turkish Armed Forces in 2012.

PARS Wheeled Armored Combat Vehicle Family

The vehicles are being built in two different configurations, namely PARS 6x6 and PARS 8x8. Transportability via C130 (PARS 6x6), A400M, C17 Globemaster and C5 Galaxy is available. Vehicle command and control is performed by two crew members (a driver and commander) seated in the front section of the cockpit. Based on different configurations, total number of crew appears to be between 8 to 11 for PARS 6x6 and 11 to 14 for PARS 8x8.

The total weight of the Pars vehicle depends on the weapon fit, crew and armour package. The 6x6 model has a typical combat weight of 18 tonnes and the 8x8 has 25 tonnes.

PARS 8x8 Wheeled Armored Vehicle Design

The baseline 8 × 8 Pars vehicle has a hull consisting of a composite aluminium and steel armour that provides the occupants with protection from 7.62 mm armour-piercing attack through full 360° coverage. Higher levels of protection are available if required, using an add-on armour package to the vehicle hull.

The driver and commander are seated in a cockpit at the very front of the vehicle. The single-piece ballistic hatch opens upwards and provides personnel with protection when they are out of the cockpit. Both have access to the touch-screen large displays and other interfaces through which overall monitoring, commanding and controlling of the vehicle is performed effectively.

Periscopes provide the driver and commander with complete vision through the front and sides of the vehicle. Images from the front and rear thermal and CCD (Charged Coupled Device) cameras can be displayed on the flat-panel displays for improved situational awareness.

Left- hand or right-hand drive steering can be selected by either person at any time. An automatic transmission and power steering is fitted as standard to reduce crew fatigue. The 8 × 8 design features steering on all eight wheels.

The diesel power pack is mounted to the rear of the driver and commander position on the left side of the hull and an access passage to the troop compartment at the rear is provided in the right side of the hull. Apart from similar products, mid-engine configuration provides better land and amphibious performance characteristics.

Modular power pack design enables flexible selection of components of power pack. The first Pars vehicles have a Deutz diesel engine but other engines could be installed such as Caterpillar or MTU. The prototype has a ZF automatic transmission but an Allison automatic transmission could also be installed.

The seating arrangement depends on operation profiles of the crew but the troops are normally seated on individual seats down each side of the hull facing inwards. All shock-absorbing, mine blast protective seats are fitted with five-point seatbelts as standard.

While various rear single-piece hydraulically operated ramp and manual two-piece door options are available, on the demonstrator vehicle troops normally enter and leave the vehicle via a two-piece ramp at the rear, which is of an unusual design. While the major part of the ramp folds downwards a much smaller part folds upwards on the outside. This allows for improved vision over the rear of the vehicle, in some combat situations, and also allows the troops to have improved situational awareness before they leave the vehicle. There are two escape hatches in the troop compartment. One is situated in left side of the hull between the third and forth road wheel stations, while the other is situated in the right side of the hull between the first and second road wheel stations.

To allow for Pars to be rapidly re-configured for different operational roles, all members of the Pars family have a removable roof so that it can be quickly converted for a wide range of specialist roles.

Development

The PARS family of wheeled armoured vehicles began development in 2002 by FNSS Savunma Sistemleri as a private venture in co-operation with US based General Purpose Vehicles (GPV). PARS is also referred to as the 8x8x8, as all wheels are driven and all can be steered.

As well as meeting the emerging Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) requirements for a wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), the Pars family of wheeled AFV is also being aimed at the export market.

The FNSS Savunma Sistemleri PARS (Leopard) 8x8 armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) was shown for the first time in February 2005 during the IDEX defence equipment exhibition held in Abu Dhabi.

Although the first example shown at IDEX 2005 was in the 8x8 configuration, the complete PARS family also includes 4x4, 6x6 and 10x10 models, of which the 6x6 has already been built and extensively tested. This family of modular wheeled AFVs all share a high level of common automotive components with the obvious logistical and training advantages to the user.

The PARS 8x8 vehicle was examined by the Malaysian Army in 2006 competing with the Swiss Piranha IIIC and the Finnish Patria AMV. It was demonstrated in the deserts of a prominent Middle East country in 2007 and 2008 covering a total of 4,000 km of desert and road trials. Further testing was again carried out in the UAE deserts in 2010 for 2000 km. The PARS 8x8, fitted with a 25mm Sharpshooter turret, was also successfully tested in other Middle Eastern countries in the autumns of 2010 and 2012 for a total of 5000 km along with firing tests.

Armaments

The vehicle can be equipped with a wide range of armaments from 7.62mm MG to air defence guns and missile systems depending on the user requirements. The PARS is already fitted with a 25mm FNSS Sharpshooter Turret which can fire munitions at the rate of 200 rounds per minute.

Due to the high axle capacity of the vehicle, weapons systems such as two-man turrets, 120mm mortar systems, air defense guns, missile systems, and 90mm turrets can also be fitted onto the vehicle.

PARS Combat Vehicle Orders and Deliveries

FNSS received a contract to develop and manufacture 52 AAAB for the Turkish Land Forces signed in early 2007. The AAAB system is based on the PARS 8x8 and suspension elements of the PARS are used in this vehicle.

The Malaysian Ministry of Defense signed a letter of intent with DRB-Hicom Defense Technologies (Deftech) in April 2010 for 257 indigenous armored vehicles called AV8. The AV8 is based on PARS vehicles. The contract was eventually signed in 2011. Deliveries are scheduled to take place between 2012 and 2018.

PARS (6x6) is one of the three known contenders for the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) requirement for 336 (6x6) reconnaissance vehicles in five versions which are command, support, sensor, radar and CBRN reconnaissance vehicles.

Comments () Views (2905 ) Print

Send To Friend