An interesting new video from General Dynamics Europe Land Systems showing the ASCOD-2, which uncannily, looks just like one of the Specialist Vehicle protected mobility variants, except with what look like band tracks.
Am I seeing band tracks?
An interesting new video from General Dynamics Europe Land Systems showing the ASCOD-2, which uncannily, looks just like one of the Specialist Vehicle protected mobility variants, except with what look like band tracks.
Am I seeing band tracks?
Yes , I think so. How much for the upgrade on FRES SV or would the full lard out , sorry correction , load out of armour overload band tracks. On a recce version though I would of thought the quieter band tracks would be better than a steel version even if it means a reduced armour pack.
Definitely rubber bands on the unturreted vehicles, steel links on the Ulan/Pizarro turreted vehicle. As for advantages yes there are some, noise and fuel economy being a couple, but the general increase in track life is offset by the greater logistic burden. The band track is either continuous in which case complete tracks must be kept as spares, or segmented so that lengths of band track are joined with pins (much like steel track links are joined) in which case the shorter band segments are the spares. It would be no big deal to carry spare track segments on the vehicle itself but it would not be practical to carry a complete track band – therefore if a vehicle splits a continuous band track it is immobile until the repair wagon arrives with a new track.
As for noise, a lot of the clatter expected from tracked vehicles would go away, but the likes of ASCOD with its 800hp V8 has such a booming exhaust note that under way the band track would do little to reduce its noise signature.
Pedant’s note: GD labelled its own PR video “ASCORD” not ASCOD. Not the sort of error you expect from such well funded corporations.
I don’t think the turret less vehicle with appliqué armour on the right (about 1.30 mins) has band tracks as you can see two track pads per link.
DN – good spot I missed that. Funny how much that vehicle’s side appliqué looks like that of the UK PMRS too.
For a Danish military trial in 2013 GD offered up the ASCOD on rubber tracks. It broke down, with a suggestion that it hadn’t been properly set up for the rubber tracks.
Youtube video here showing the 5 competitors.
A Google translation of an article about the trial is here.
There is a recent video featuring the ASCOD on rubber tracks here: TATRA Excalibur test drive live demonstration Titus Ascod Pandur II armoured tactical trucks Web TV The link should take you to the start of the ASCOD section.
In case the links don’t appear, google for the terms denmark, ascod, pmv and fremvisning. That should get you some links to youtube videos and a link to an 30 Apr 2013 artilleriet.dk article you can translate.
For the other video search youtube for the words Tatra, ascod and excalibur and the first two results should be appropriate.
Chris
‘Funny how much that vehicle’s side appliqué looks like that of the UK PMRS too.’
Nice to see our investment is helping.
Interesting to see that, on the map of Europe, the bright shining star in South Wales is conspicuous by its absence.
BBC is well funded too …..
Thanks Gareth
Like the ridiculous Scout announced today this would last ten minutes in Syria thanks to the thousands of Kornet and Tow Systems littering the place. We will need heavy armor if we end up going in there. Well done MOD and Armed forces Chiefs !
Soucy bandtracks.
Nothing new; bandtracks have been around for more than a century, the Soucy bandtracks have been around for about three decades and all Western ground forces procurement agencies long since know that bandtracks are limited to approx. 30 metric tons AFV mass.