Ministerio de Defensa Ejército de tierra
Ministerio de Defensa Ejército de tierra
Ministerio de Defensa Ejército de tierra
Imagen de fondo
Share it on: Share on Facebook Share it on Twitter Share on Linkedin

8x8, the wait is over

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Number: 61

The Spanish Army's aspiration of having a modern vehicle, which replaces the veteran Wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier (BMR in Spanish) and which also becomes the key vehicle of the modern Brigades, comes from a long time ago.
However, the desfavorable economic situation left the project cancelled. The recovery after the crisis has allowed an attempt of restarting the project, and it already has fixed dates, a budget of 92 million of Euros and a recipient: "La Unión Temporal de Empresas" formed by Indra, General Dynamics European Land Systems-Santa Bárbara Sistemas and SAPA operations.

At the end of 2015 it was signed the contract for the start of the first step (the design and development phase), which will finish next November with the arrival of five technological demonstrators. Once they have been given, operative tests will be conducted, and the Brigade of the Spanish Legion has been chosen for this commitment.

VCR Línea

The programme of Wheeled Tank Combat Vehicle (VCR in Spanish) 8x8 has as main aim to obtain a combat system which includes the new technical solutions to face the evolution of threats and which will become the key for this new organic structure of the Spanish Army. It contemplates a family of: armoured, wheeled, middleweight, polyvalent, versatile, with a high capacity of protection, lethal nature and operational movility vehicles, (thanks to a reduced expense of fuel and its ability to move using different types of grounds). They also have a bigger strategic movility, due to the fact that they can be projected easily through the air because of its weight, which allows a rapid deployment in any stage in a short period of time. At the same time, they provide superiority to the middle units during the military confrontation. They also stand out because of their modularity and versatility, which allow the compatibility, collaboration and incorporation of future updates and subsystems as a consequence of the technological advance, as well as its integration with the plans and programmes that the Army already has.

Its objective is to replace, in a progressive way, the historical BMR, TOA and VEC, and the vehicles used for the protection towards mines and improvised explosive devices, such as the Lince and the RG-31.

Design phase and development

Development of the six technological programmes:

  • PT-1: Increase of safety
  • PT2: Situational conscience
  • PT3: Vehicle of Artillery Advanced Observant (VCOAV)
  • PT4: CIS systems' integration
  • PT5: Drive motor Group
  • PT0: Integration of the systems and the towers in the platform.

These programmes are set in the manufacture of five Technological Demonstrators which include these technologies:

  • D1. VCR-Basis
  • D2. VCR- PC Cía.
  • D3. VCOAV – ACA (Field Artillery)
  • D4. VCR-VEC PC Sc (Cavalry)
  • D5. VCR-ZAP (Engineers)

Duration: 2015-November 2018

The technological demonstrators and the programmes that they include:

VCR_Basis

VCR Línea

 

 

 

Tower: Remote control weapons' station UT-30 MK2 of Elbit Systems with a gun of 30mm.

VCR-VEC Section Command's Post

VCR-VEC Puesto de Mando de Sección

 

 

 

Manned tower Hitfist of Oto Melara with a gun of 30 mm.

VCR Company Command's Post

VCR Puesto de Mando de Compañía

 

 

 

Armament platform of Samson remote control for a gun of 30mm.

Technological Programmes

Increase of safety

  • System of alert through laser lighting.
  • Detector of shoots (acoustic).

Situacional conscience

  • System of situational conscience with panoramic visión cameras of 360º. 
  • System of driving support with two infrared cameras (at the front and at the back).

 Integration of CIS systems

  • CIS Systems at Squad/Section/Company level.
  • Electronic systems of the vehicles.

Drive Motor Group

  • Scania DC13 Motor.
  • SW624 of SAPA. transmission.

 

VCR-ZAP (Engineers)

VCR-Zapadores

 

 

 

Weapons' station Mini-Samson of control remote with a Rafael machine gun of 12,70 mm.

Technological programmes

Increase of safety

  • Protection kit against RPG.
  • Armor planting add-on against mines and IED.
  • Tools against IED (bulldozer).

Drive Motor Group

  • Scania DC13 Motor
  • SW624 de SAPA. Transmission

 

Vehicle of Artillery Advanced Observant (VCOAV)

Vehículo de Observador Avanzado de Artillería.

 

 

 

Weapons' system of remote control Guardian with a machine gun of 12,7 mm.

 Technological Programmes

Increase of Safety

  • Alert system through laser lighting.
  • Detector of shoots (acoustic).

Situacional conscience

  • System of situational conscience
  • System of driving support.

 Vehicle of Artillery Advanced Observant (VCOAV)

  • Pedestal of stabilized-turn sensor over a flying mast .
  • Portable system of sensors.

Integration of CIS systems

  • CIS systems at batallion level.
  • Electronic systems.

Drive Motor Group

  • Scania DC13 Motor.
  • SW624 of SAPA system.

 

News notebook HTML version

ARMY UNITS

OUTSTANDING LINKS