STK
Bionix RCV
Notes: The
Bionix RCV (Recovery Combat Vehicle) is the service vehicle of the Bionix
family, and it has seen several bulk sales to countries who have already bought
the various RCV versions of the Bionix, countries who have a lot of light
vehicles, and countries who have decided to replace their old M113-series
vehicles with the Bionix. Vickers
of the UK is negotiating a license for production of the Bionix RCV, and the
vehicle is becoming a common sight in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and to an
extent, Africa, and reportedly some European countries are also interested in
the Bionix RCV.
The Bionix RCV
uses as many common components with the other Bionix-series vehicles as
possible. The turret is removed, and replaced with a raised superstructure – but
unlike most such vehicles, the roof is raised by only about half a meter.
As with most such vehicles, the primary role of the RCV is to recover
light vehicles bogged down in much or debris; it also is used to repair such
vehicles, though it is a relatively small vehicle and carries a limited amount
of spare parts and tools.
The driver is on
the front left of the vehicle; behind him is the commander.
The commander has a raised manually-operated cupola with all around
vision blocks, and one front block with a night channel.
His weapon can be aimed and fired from within the vehicle with the hatch
shut; he often does this to use the reticle on the front vision block.
The driver has three vision blocks: one wide-angle one to the front that
has a night channel, and one normal block on either side of the front block and
angled, giving the driver vision to each side.
To the right of the commander is the crane/winch operator, who also has a
raised, manually-rotating cupola with all-around vision blocks. He does not,
however, have a night channel, though he has a WL/IR spotlight.
Inside, there is room for another mechanic or specialist, but he has no
seat and must simply hold on during travel.
The crew has a collective vehicular NBC System and an air conditioner and
heater.
For its mission,
the primary tool is the recovery winch, with a capacity of 25 tons, or double
that with block and tackle, and useable cable of 90 meters.
For repairs or to act as a jack, the crane has a capacity 30 tons, though
at more than 0.8 meters reach, this is reduced to 12 tons.
(Maximum reach is 6.5 meters.) Toolsets include all basic-type tools
kits, except large-caliber weapon tools and small arms tools.
It also carries an air compressor and an electric hand-held saw.
A stated above,
the RCV uses a mostly Bionix APC/AFV chassis, including the same tracks,
roadwheels and suspension, fuel tanks, and engine and transmission.
The engine is a license-produced 475-horsepower Detroit Diesel DDC-6V-92TA
supercharged diesel engine, along with an HMPT-500EC automatic transmission (a
modified form of the transmission found in the M2 Bradley) and a driver’s
compartment that has a conventional steering yoke, gas pedal, and brake pedal.
The armor suite is the same as on the Bionic APC/AFV, and the same
appliqué and ERA can be added for additional protection.
Construction is largely of all-welded
steel.
For foreign
customers, STK is willing to make almost any modifications to the RCV desirable.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$170,124 |
D, A |
2.52 tons |
24 tons |
3+1 |
19 |
Passive IR (D), Image Intensification (C), WL/IR Spotlight |
Shielded |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
141/99 |
39/27 |
527 |
171 |
Stnd |
T3 |
HF16Sp HS7Sp
HR4* |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
+1 |
None |
CIS-50 or CIS-40 or MAG (C) |
3000x.50 or 950x40mm or 5000x7.62mm |
*Belly AV is 3.
STK
Bionix AVLB
The Bionix AVLB
was first revealed at an arms show in 2000, but they also said that the AVLB had
been in production and use in Singapore for three years by that point.
It is designed to be a light assault bridge, as it is only MLC 30, so the
heaviest vehicles it can accommodate are heavy trucks and the Bionix series.
The bridge of
the Bionix is, as stated, MLC-30, and is a two-part bridge to fit on the Bionix
hull. It is 22 meters long, but has
a usable span of 20 meters. Two
such bridges may be laid side-by-side to form one MLC 60 bridge; however, each
individual bridge is only MLC 30.
The bridge is a push-pull bridge, and is laid like the German Biber, with the
top part sliding out from the top section of the bridge sliding out, and then
the bottom part sliding into place.
This is done automatically, with the crew not having to leave the vehicle.
Like the RCV
above, as many components of the Bionix AFV/APC are used as possible, including
the entire chassis, with the including the same tracks, roadwheels and
suspension, fuel tanks, and engine and transmission.
The engine is a license-produced 475-horsepower Detroit Diesel DDC-6V-92TA
supercharged diesel engine, along with an HMPT-500EC automatic transmission (a
modified form of the transmission found in the M2 Bradley) and a driver’s
compartment that has a conventional steering yoke, gas pedal, and brake pedal.
The armor suite is the same as on the Bionic APC/AFV, and the same
appliqué and ERA can be added for additional protection.
Construction is largely of all-welded steel.
Crew consists of
the driver in front left and the commander/bridgelayer to his right. The driver
has three vision blocks to his front and slightly to his sides; the commander
has all-around vision blocks with day/night CCTV cameras around the vehicle to
watch the deployment and recovery and a night vision channel to the front, The
driver also has a night channel.
The commander operates the bridge by remote control, with a control box that has
two joysticks and several buttons to start and stop the deployment and recovery
process. The vehicle is unarmed,
and the crew has only their small arms and perhaps some grenades, and possibly
something like an Armbrust or M72 LAW.
The crew is protected by a collective vehicular NBC system, an air
conditioner, and a heater. On each bumper is a cluster of four smoke grenade
launchers. The driver has access to
a GPS and mapping module.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$222,949 |
D, A |
327 kg |
28.3 tons |
2 |
23 |
Passive IR (D), Image Intensification (C), 3xDay/Night CCTV Cameras (C) |
Shielded |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config* |
Susp |
Armor |
123/86 |
34/24 |
527 |
171 |
Stnd |
T3 |
TF4 TS4
TR4 HF16Sp
HS7Sp HR4** |
*The
CiH Config rating is for when the bridge is mounted.
In such a state, no crew hits are possible; these are treated as misses.
When the bridge is deployed, the Config is Stnd.
**Belly AV is 3.