Update: Austria orders 225 Pandur EVO AFVs

Austria has ordered 225 Pandur EVO AFVs for the Bundesheer. (GDELS)

A contract for 225 Pandur Evolution (EVO) armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) for the Austrian Armed Forces (Bundesheer) was signed by Minister of Defense Klaudia Tanner, Chief of Defence Staff General Rudolf Striedinger, and managing director of General Dynamics European Land Systems-Steyr (GDELS-Steyr) Martin Reischer on 19 February.

Present at the signing were Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Karl Hufnagel, managing director of ESL, which will supply the AFV's 12.7 mm remote controlled weapon station (RCWS), 16 120 mm mortar sets, as well as other systems.

The order includes conversion kits for medical evacuation (medevac), command-and-control, and anti-tank missions, as well as eight additional vehicle variants to be introduced into the Bundesheer. Thirty-six of these (with nine options) will have Rheinmetall Air Defence Skyranger 30 mm turrets for mobile short-range air defence and to counter unmanned aircraft systems. Deliveries will takeplace until 2032, with Tanner speaking of options for a further 150 vehicles.

This article, originally published on 20 February, has been updated with new information.