The Spanish company Urovesa (Uro Vehicules Especiales) has developed a new version of the VAMTAC S3 (Vehiculo de Alta Movilidad Tactico) armored vehicle with a 4x4 wheel arrangement.
The 8-ton armored patrol vehicle, designated VAMTAC BN3, is equipped with a 6-cylinder Steyr M16TCA-3 220 hp diesel engine and a seven-speed Allison S1000 gearbox. The AFV is capable of a maximum speed of 115 km / h and a cruising range of 500 km.
The BN3 armored cockpit was developed in cooperation with the Danish company Composchild and provides protection against mines that meets the requirements of STANAG 4569 "Level 2", against small arms - STANAG 4569 "Level 3" and STANAG 4569 "Level 4" from 155- mm of artillery shells.
The AFV can be equipped with additional equipment, including a centralized tire inflation system, chemical protection, climate control, an information system, enhanced armor protection for the engine and the troop compartment, a fire extinguishing system, an embrasure for firing in the windshield, a front electric winch, and a remote-controlled combat module.
In the basic configuration, the VAMTAC BN3 armored vehicle is equipped with two ROSY smoke screen systems developed by Rheinmetall and a remote-controlled weapon station Samson Junior from Raphael, armed with a 7.62-mm machine gun.
VAMTAC S3 is currently in service with the Armed Forces of Belgium, Malaysia, Morocco, Romania, Spain and Venezuela. Malaysia, which received 85 armored vehicles in June 2009, is currently negotiating the supply of 15 additional armored combat vehicles through the Malaysian company Masdef (formerly Master Defense).
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In April 2008, the Malaysian Army signed a contract with Master Defense for the supply of 80 VAMTAC S3 AFVs to Urovesa in the VAMTAC 3PKL (weapons transportation) and VAMTAC 4PC (launcher platform) configurations. The cost of the agreement was 19.1 million euros. Some of them are equipped with Igla-S MANPADS launchers.
According to available information, the Spanish army intends to purchase a light mortar system designed to provide fire support for infantry units, which prompted the company "Urovesa" to team up with the Israeli "Saltam" and "GMV Defense and Seguridad" to develop a mobile mortar system based on VAMTAC.
