Steyr Daimler-Puch 4KH7FA-AVE Pionier Engineer Tank
Notes:
This is a combat engineer vehicle based on the chassis of the 4K 7FA-KSPz
armored personnel carrier. The
Austrians currently have 19 in service; the only export customer has been
Tunisia, who have two of them. This
vehicle has been Austrian service since 1988, and have been subject to constant
repairs and refurbishments to keep them in service. It is normally called the
AVE or Pionierpanzer in Austrian service.
In this role,
the APC has a raised superstructure in the front two-thirds of the vehicle, upon
which is mounted a large digging bucket on the end of an extensible arm.
This bucket may be removed and replaced with an earth drill with a 350mm
wide bit, or a crane head. The
digging bucket may dig into up to 2.2 meters of earth at a time; the crane head
has a capacity of 8 tons. Either
tool head may be pivoted on its arm up to 234 degrees. The vehicle has a dozer
blade on the front (which doubles as a mine plow), and there is also a winch
with a capacity of 8 tons and 60 meters of cable; block and tackle is carried
which can increase the pull strength to 16 tons.
Four smoke grenade launchers are mounted near the rear of the
superstructure, firing over the back of the vehicle.
The Engineer Tank typically carries construction tools, excavation tools,
a chainsaw, welding equipment, and an air compressor. The AVE also normally
carries a case of C4 plastic explosive and a smaller case of primercord to blast
or reduce obstacles that cannot be removed by more conventional means, along
with an Engineer Demo Chest. At the front of the hull, above the fenders, are
4-round clusters of smoke grenade launchers. The AVE can carry a trackway or two
rolls of fascine, deploying the trackway from an automatic rolling device and
the fascines using the boom arm. Two tow bars are normally carries, one on each
side
This vehicle has
all-welded steel armor which is relatively thin to keep weight down.
The fire suppression system is unusual in that that it can be set to
operate automatically, but can also be operated manually. Power is provided by a
Steyr 7FA turbocharged diesel with 321.8 horsepower, coupled to an automatic
transmission. Suspension is by torsion bars, but the AVE has an extra set of
shock absorbers to help keep large cargos stable.
The normal means
of entry to the crew compartment is via a two-piece hatchway on the left side,
but there are also several hatches on the roof, one of which is the commander’s
position. He normally has a heavy
machinegun on a pintle mount next to his hatch, but the mount will also take a
grenade launcher, GPMG, or light machinegun or SAW.
He also has a WL spotlight on a short pole. There is no air conditioning,
but the AVE does have a forced air ventilation system that can cut the heat
inside the crew compartment a bit, and it does have a heater.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$115,638 |
D, A |
1.36 tons |
19 tons |
4 |
17 |
Headlights, WL Spotlight (C) |
Enclosed |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor* |
125/88 |
35/24 |
500 |
120 |
Stnd |
T3 |
HF9 HS4
HR4 |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
None |
None |
M-2HB (C) |
1050x.50, 25 kg C4, 125 m Primercord |
*The front dozer blade has an AV of 9.
Depending on what the blade is raised to (or not raised), the blade gives
the Pionier a bonus frontal AV of 9Sp.
Steyr Daimler-Puch 4KH7FA-SB 20 Greif
Notes:
This is a recovery vehicle based on the SK-105 light tank chassis.
It prototype was completed in 1974, with general production taking place
in 1976-77. In 1999-2000, production of the Greif began again, both to replace
worn out vehicles and to increase the amount of them on hand.
In addition, export sales to Brazil and Botswana were made from this
second production lot. (Tunisia has three made from the original production lot,
and several South American and West African nations have substantial numbers of
Greifs made from this production lot.) Austrian Greifs were designed
specifically to recover and repair the SK-105 light tank and the 4KH7FA-series
APCs. Austrian Greifs have been the
subject of continual upgrading, depot-level repairing, and refurbishing.
The vehicle has
a large raised superstructure over the front half of the chassis, while the back
of the hull has a stand for an engine and transmission assembly for a light
armored vehicle, or other spare parts.
On the right front of the superstructure is a crane with a capacity of 8
tons with 42 meters of cable; it can reach 3.9 meters and pivot 234 degrees (it
is a variant of the boom on the AVE above).
The main winch leads out through the front of the hull and has a capacity
of 20 tons, with 95 meters of cable, or 40 tons with block and tackle.
The Greif has a dozer blade at the front of the hull, normally used to
brace the vehicle during winching and lifting operations, though it has a
secondary role of digging fighting positions for vehicles and other large items
of equipment. The Grief normally
carries a wide selection of tools, including a welding set, an air compressor,
and wheeled vehicle, tracked vehicle, excavating, small arms, and heavy
ordinance tools. Power is provided by a 321.8-horsepower turbocharged diesel
engine, the same as that on the Pionier above. The transmission is automatic,
and also the same as on the AVE.
At the front of
the hull, above the fenders, are 4-round clusters of smoke grenade launchers.
The commander is in a raised cupola on the front right portion of the crew
compartment, and is armed the same as the AVE above.
The driver is on the front left, with other crewmembers having seats in
the crew compartment to the rear of the driver.
Note that the
AVE above is based on the same chassis, and much of the vehicle is similar to
the Greif.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$117,452 |
D, A |
2.98 tons |
19.8 tons |
4 |
17 |
Headlights, WL Spotlight (C) |
Enclosed |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
121/85 |
34/24 |
500 |
120 |
Stnd |
T3 |
HF9 HS4
HR4 |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
None |
None |
M-2HB (C) |
1500x.50 |
*The front dozer blade has an AV of 6.
Depending on what the blade is raised to (or not raised), the blade gives
the Greif a bonus frontal AV of 6Sp.