Valuk Light Armoured Vehicle, Slovenia

Valuk Light Armoured Vehicle, Slovenia (NSI News Source Info) November 1, 2008: The Valuk Light Armoured Vehicle, manufactured by Sistemska Tehnika of Slovenia, is in full-scale production following a series of competitive performance tests carried out by the Slovenian Army. Contracts have been placed for the supply of 85 of the 6x6 wheeled Valuk for the Slovenian Army. The first 30 have been delivered. The VALUK is manufactured under a licence manufacturing agreement with the Austrian company, Steyr Daimler Puch Spezialfahrzueg (now part of General Dynamics Land Systems - Europe) and is based on the Pandur vehicle.

The Stalker Armoured Reconnaissance and Scout Vehicle (ARSV)

STALKER ARMOURED SCOUT RECONNAISSANCE VEHICLE (ARSV) Sistemska Tehnika, with Rafael of Israel, have developed the Stalker Armoured Reconnaissance and Scout Vehicle (ARSV), based on the Valuk with the Rafael Remote Control Weapon Station (RCWS) and a surveillance system based on Rafael's Toplite day/night targeting and acquisition system. Toplite includes 3rd generation FLIR, CCD TV and laser rangefinder and is capable of both manual and automatic target tracking. A Battle Management System (BMS) can slave the RCWS to the Toplite targeting system. WEAPON STATION The vehicle is equipped with a stabilised Overhead Weapon Station supplied by the Rafael Israel Armament Development Authority. The Overhead Weapon Station OWS-25 is armed with a 25 mm Bushmaster Cannon and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun. The gunner can survey, acquire and track a target, aim and fire from inside the turret with a closed hatch or in a head-out position. The gunner's station is equipped with a day and night periscope sighting and observation system. The day periscope sight has a unity magnification window with a collimated aiming circle and an 8x magnification sight with a ballistic reticle. The night periscope sight has a unity magnification window and an image intensifier x7.5 magnification passive night elbow. The weapon station can also be fitted with externally mounted TOW long-range anti-tank guided missiles. SELF-PROTECTION The standard armoured protection is rated to withstand 7.62 mm armour piercing rounds through a full 360 degrees, and 12.7 mm armour piercing rounds over a 30 degree frontal arc. Rafael has supplied a passive add-on ceramic armour kit for the Valuk which provides 12.7 mm AP round protection over the full 360 degrees. The crew door at the rear of the vehicle is equipped with a periscope sight. The crew is protected against anti-tank and anti-personnel mines and a full nuclear, biological and chemical warfare protection system is fitted. The crew compartment is fitted with an automatic fire detection and fire fighting system with 3 fire sensors and three Halon 1301 gas containers. A version of the Valuk has been built with a rear ramp with an emergency door instead of two doors. The vehicle can also be equipped with a capstan type cable winch. ENGINE The Valuk is equipped with a Steyr 612.35 6-cylinder turbo diesel engine and a hydrodynamically controlled automatic transmission with a torque converter and lock-up clutch with 5 forward and 1 reverse gear. The engine provides a power to weight ratio of 20.4 kW per ton. The 6x6 wheels have automatic tyre pressure regulation with a central tyre inflation system. The independent suspension system has telescopic shock absorbers on each wheel. There are coil springs on the first and second axle and torsion bars on the third axle. The drive train and steering linkages are protected within the hull of the vehicle. MOBILITY The turning radius is 8.5 metres and the maximum speed is typically 110 kilometres per hour. The ground clearance is 430 mm. The vehicle can negotiate natural and man made obstacles such as trenches up to 1.5 metres wide, vertical obstacles to 0.5 metres high, gradients of 70 per cent and side slope to 40 per cent. The Valuk can ford water to a depth of 1.2 metres. The combat weight is 13,300 kilograms