Notes: Finland's
Arctic troops used horses for transport well into the 1960's, but eventually,
the Finnish military decided it was time to replace them with vehicles.
To this end, they license-produced the Swedish BV-202s and Bv-206s, but
the Finns weren’t weren't happy with the BV-206 as it was; they wanted a vehicle
that was not only a rough-terrain vehicle (and remember, Finland abounds with
swamps as well as snow), but a light-armored vehicle as well, and they felt that
the Bv-206 did not have the muscle they wanted in the power department. With
heavy modifications, the Finns turned them into the NA-110.
The word “Nasu” is an acronym of
Nahua-Sisu, or “Tracked Sisu vehicle,” but the word
Nasu is also the Finnish word for
“piglet.” The Na-110 has found
employment in small number around the world, (particularly in use by arctic or
mountain troops) ranging from the Chinese Woodlands Fire Service, Indian Army
special police units, the Mexican Army’s mountain troops, and even in Antarctica
(the armor makes them warmer inside than normal over-the-snow vehicles, as well
as hardier).
The first
modification the Finns made was to the engine and drive train.
The engine was replaced with a more powerful 115-horsepower engine that
was a bit more economical that the Bv-206s stock engine.
This meant that the cab portion (like the Bv-206, the Nasu has a front
section with the engine and most of the drive train, driver, commander, and some
of the crewmembers, and a rear cargo section) grew by about a meter and became
taller. The rear section was also
lengthened a bit, primarily to increase its utility when not being used as a
general APC. A general beefing-up of the suspension also raised the profile of
the Nasu a bit. Some light Kevlar
armor was also added; the Nasu can generally stave off most small arms rounds
and shell fragments. The Nasu also
has the capability to tow a special tracked trailer behind it to carry more
cargo; this trailer is partially motorized, and can carry 2.5 tons, but cuts the
Nasu’s speed in half. The tracks of
the Nasu were widened to 620 millimeters.
The Nasu is also fully amphibious without preparation other than
switching on a bilge pump. Though the Nasu has more engine power, it is also
much heavier than a Bv-206, and this negates most of the Nasu’s power advantage
in the speed and agility departments; nonetheless, the Nasu has an almost
unmatched power ratio among tracked armored vehicles.
The commander has a hatch in the roof over his seat that has a pintle
weapon mount; a special mount can be fitted that allows the mounting of an ATGM
(usually a TOW launcher).
An appliqué
armor kit was developed for the Nasu that effectively doubles the armor
protection to most faces of the vehicle. Command, signals, and ambulance version
also exist, as well as a version used as a carrier for a 120mm mortar.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
NA-110 |
$15,610 |
D, A |
1.95 tons |
5.25 tons |
2+15* |
4 |
Headlights |
Shielded |
NA-110 (w/Appliqué) |
$17,686 |
D, A |
1.65 tons |
5.85 tons |
2+15* |
4 |
Headlights |
Shielded |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
NA-110 |
192/134 |
42/31/4 |
280 |
90 |
Stnd |
T3 |
HF2
HS2 HR2 |
NA-110 |
176/123 |
39/28/4 |
280 |
98 |
Stnd |
T3 |
HF4
HS4 HR4 |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
NA-110 |
None |
None |
NSVT (C) |
500x12.7mm |
*Six in the front section,
9 in the rear.
**top and belly armor are
2.