FMC AIFV

     Notes: The AIFV was originally developed by FMC as an improved version of the M-113, to replace the M-113 in the US Army.  The US Army did not accept the AIFV, and FMC went on to develop what became the Bradley, but several of NATO’s countries were quite interested in the AIFV, as it could be a low-cost upgrade for their M-113 fleets or a lower-cost IFV than those available at the time.  The primary mover behind this movement was the Netherlands, who went on to develop the design as the YPR-765; soon other countries were interested, especially Belgium, and other countries such as the Philippines, Pakistan and Egypt also bought into the design; in all, more than 10 countries use the AIFV or some version of it. Several other countries, most notably Turkey and South Korea, went on to develop their own versions of the AIFV.

The AIFV – the YPR-765

     The initial version of the AIFV was the Dutch version, the YPR-765.  This was a greatly-improved version of a rejected design for the US Army, the XM-765.  FMC continued to develop the XM-765 concept, hoping for foreign sales, and the Dutch eventually decided to equip their army with the vehicle – but not after obtaining a building license and a making even more adjustments and modifications.  They eventually bought or built 880; 815 were actually built in the Netherlands. There are 23 variants of the basic vehicle. 

     Like the M-113A1, the basic infantry version, YPR-765 PRI, has a hull with aluminum armor, but incorporates a large amount of spaced armor appliqué, with extra aluminum panels filled by polyurethane foam.  This not only provides extra protection, but allows the AIFV to retain its amphibious characteristics.  The engine is the same as the M-113A1, but power is increased to 267 horsepower by use of a turbocharger, the radiator is larger, and the heavy-duty transmission of the M-548 carrier is used.  The driver is in his customary place on the front left deck, but has a steering yoke and conventional brake and gas pedals.  He has four vision blocks, allowing frontal and left side vision; the center of the frontal vision blocks can be replaced by a night vision block. Directly behind the driver is a commander’s position; the commander has all-around vision blocks and a 1-6xrotating periscope, but no weapon mount. The commander has a searchlight for his use.

     On the right of the front hull, behind the engine, is the one-man turret, armed with a 25mm autocannon and a coaxial machinegun.  Two smoke grenade launchers are found on either side of the turret. The gunner also has night vision, and a hatch atop the turret.  The troops are at the rear of the AIFV, and enter and exit primarily through a large powered ramp at the rear with a door in it.  The troops sit with six of them sitting back to back and facing outwards, towards two firing ports in each side.  There is another firing port in the rear door. The squad leader sits between the turret and the passengers and faces to the rear.

     The YPR-765A1, also called the YPR-2000, is essentially a YPR-765 with additional appliqué armor and an uprated 300-horsepower engine.  It saw its first combat use in Afghanistan.

     The Belgians also use several variants of the AIFV. The basic AIFV is almost identical to the YPR-765. The AIFV-B-C25 has improvements similar to those of the YPR-765A1, has a suspension similar to that of the M-113A2, an NBC overpressure system, and an automatic fire detection and extinguishing system. The AIFV-B-50 has a smaller turret with a heavy machinegun and a mount on the rear deck for a Milan ATGM. (The Milan launcher is also dismountable.) The AIFV-B-50 also has a pair of 71mm Lyran smoke mortars which are reloadable from the turret. As the Filipinos bought their AIFVs from Belgium, their AIFVs are similar, but their counterpart to the AIFC-B-50 has no Milan firing post. (They were initially to have been all armed with 25mm autocannons, but the Filipinos balked at the cost.)

Other APC-Type AIFVs

     Of course, there are several specialist versions of the AIFV, including several APC-type versions.  Chief among these are command and FIST-type vehicles.  The Dutch use one that is essentially identical externally to the YPR-765, but internally has one long, one short, and one medium-range radio, with the medium-range radio able to receive data as well as voice communications.  The vehicle also has a ruggedized laptop computer and a hand-held image intensifier, thermal imager, and laser rangefinder, as well as maps, plotting supplies, and other such supplies. This vehicle is called the YPR-765 PRCO-B.

     Several other command versions are based on the same chassis, but do not have a turret.  Most are similar except for the internal equipment.  Examples of these vehicles are the Dutch YPR-765 PCRO-C and the Belgian AIFV-B-CP; these have two long-range, two medium-range, and one short-range radios, with one of the long-range radios able to receive data as well as fax and voice transmissions. They come with a long-range antenna which may be erected when the vehicle is at a halt, and a tent-like extension at the rear which also may be erected when the vehicle is halted to extend working area.  They also have ruggedized laptops and various mapping, plotting, and other such supplies, as well as a hand-held image intensifier, thermal imager, and laser rangefinder.  Unlike most such command vehicles, the roofline is not raised on these vehicles.  These versions do not have turrets, but instead, the commander’s position has a rotating cupola with a pintle-mounted machinegun; the smoke grenade launchers are shifted to the hull front.  These vehicles have NBC overpressure systems, and carry a 5kW APU.

     The Dutch also operate an ambulance version, the YPR-765 PRGWT.  This version is unarmed, and can carry two stretcher and two seated patients, or five seated patients.  It carries a small refrigerator for perishable medical supplies, a small heater for blankets, a small water heater, the equivalent of 20 personnel medical kits, and the equivalent of four doctor’s medical bags.  It also has a defibrillator and two sets of oxygen-administering equipment.  It has an NBC overpressure system.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The YPR-765A1 does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

*Belly armor is 4.

**See Notes above.

ASCOD IFV

     Notes:  ASCOD (Austrian Spanish Cooperation Development) was an entity put together temporarily from the Austrian Steyr-Daimler-Puch and Spanish Santa Barbara Systemas to develop the AFV family that bears its name. Some half a dozen vehicles are based on this vehicle range, and the ASCOD IFV is one of them.  (It should be noted that most of the versions have never been built.) Though later Santa Barbara Systemas would drop out of production after being bought out by General Dynamics Land Systems, the vehicle continues to be produced, developed, and shopped around; currently, the users are Austria, who use 112 (and call them the Ulan; they have plans to buy an upgraded version called the Ulan 2), and Spain (who currently use 144, and have plans to buy more; they call theirs the Pizarro, with later vehicles being the Pizarro 2 version).  Greece was initially to have also been a customer, but the Greeks decided to go with less expensive refurbished BMP-1s from Germany.  In Austria, they complement the CV-9030 in service.  Production began in 1996, and continues today.  ASCODs have yet to deploy to combat.  Ulans and Pizarros differ in some details, most notably the engine.

     The ASCOD has a driver’s hatch on the front deck behind a well-sloped glacis plate.  The driver has three vision blocks to the front, the middle of which can be replaced with a night vision block.  The driving station is designed to provide reasonable room and has a steering yoke with brake and gas pedals.  The 2-man turret is in the center of the vehicle offset to the right with the commander on the right and gunner on the left; they have a comprehensive night vision suite, though the commander uses the gunner’s thermal imager.  Armament is a 30mm autocannon, a coaxial machinegun, and a commander’s machinegun, with six smoke grenade launchers on each side of the turret.  The main gun and coaxial have an elevation of 50 degrees, which allows it to engage helicopters and slow-moving aircraft as well as ground targets.  The rear deck has a round hatch to the right and a rectangular hatch to the left; the round hatch is surrounded by vision blocks.  The passenger compartment is accessed by a large door in the rear, and has seats for five down the left side and three down the right side.  A passenger seat is under the circular hatch on the deck; this hatch and the seat rotate and it is meant for the squad leader.  The ASCOD’s silhouette is long and low; the silhouette is low primarily due to the low-profile turret.  All the versions below have a BMS, GPS, Vehicle State Computer, and mapping computer.

Pizarro

     The Pizarro is the Spanish version of the ASCOD.  The Pizarro is armed with a Mauser MK-30/2, the same gun as mounted on the German Wiesel 2 RMK-30; however, in this case, recoil gasses are not vented to the rear of the gun; instead, they are forced through a pipe, where they exit to the right of the gun externally.  There is an MG3 machinegun mounted externally; crews have called for a commander’s machinegun, but as of yet their calls have gone unheeded.  For this reason, there are many Pizarros sprouting makeshift pintle mounts with varying weapons, usually medium or heavy machineguns.  The Spanish Army, though such modifications are not regulation, has turned a blind eye towards such modifications. The Pizarro’s cannon and coax are aimed by the Indra Mk-10, which gives the Pizarro a full solution digital computer, day channel, thermal channel and laser rangefinder.  The gunner interfaces the Mk-10 through an LCD screen, and essentially designates targets while the Mk-10 does the final aiming and firing. Future versions will be fitted with the VC2 2^nd Gen thermal imager.  The turret has a bank of six smoke grenade launchers on each side.

     The turret of the Pizarro is a bit larger than the Ulan’s turret, and the Pizarro may seat only seven dismounts.  The troops seat three on each side down the sides; the dismount squad leader sits in a pivoting seat in the center just behind the turret, facing to the rear. The troops exit through a rear ramp which also has dual doors in it.  The Pizarro has an NBC Overpressure system. The troop compartment has a pair of hatches atop the middle of the rear deck; these have all-around vision blocks, but do not have cupolas or weapon mounts.

     The armor is spaced and of composite construction, being fitted with MEXAS.  The Pizarro also has lugs for SABBLIR ERA at the lower half of the glacis, at the lower sides of the turret sides, and on the hull sides.  The Pizarro has a laser warning system, which alerts the crew that the Pizarro is being lased by ATGM or aircraft lasers or vehicle rangefinders or designation beams: A detection triggers two smoke grenades, the some of which has a prismatic component to block the lasers.  The Pizarro is also equipped with an optical chemical sniffer.

     The Pizarro uses a 600-horsepower MTU 8V-183-TEE22 supercharged diesel. They are equipped with a Sapa Placancia SG 850 automatic transmission, which can be switched by the driver to manual transmission if necessary.  Suspension is by torsion bar with rotary dampers at the ends.  The Pizarro is able to drive at half full forward speed in reverse. On a road, the Pizarro is able to accelerate to a Com Mov of 17 in 14 seconds.  It can cross a 2.3-meter ditch, climb a 95-centimeter wall, and ford 1.2 meters, though it is not amphibious.

     Despite being part of ISAF, Spain did not deploy the Pizarro to Afghanistan due to a lack of what the Spanish MoD considered decent anti-mine/IED protection. However, Pizarros and Pizarro 2s have been deployed to Latvia for the current crisis in Ukraine.

Pizarro w/Applique Armor

     Pizarros may be equipped with applique armor, made of spaced sheets of steel RHA, on the hull sides, glacis, floor, turret roof, turret front, and turret sides.  Unfortunately, the extra protection is minimal.  Due to the design of the vehicle, the Pizarro cannot mount cage armor on the hull or turret.

Pizarro 2

     As the note above indicates, the Pizarro suffered from a lack of antimine protection.  Therefore, this was the first thing the Spanish addressed when ordering their ASCOD 2s. The armor was made thicker, and was applied with a space in between two plates, with a layer of MEXAS between the two. As well, an MRAP shape being put into the belly.  The driver’s and passenger’s seats are special mine-resistant seats, which have crumple zones underneath; it was not possible to incorporate these into the commander’s and gunner’s positions due to space availability.  Armor all around the vehicle was improved in general; in addition, the Pizarro still has a layer of MEXAS, and can be fitted with the SABBLIR ERA. 

     The Pizarro 2 is also protected by the Iron Fist APS (a modification of an Israeli system), which is rated as equal in protection as the APS mounted on the Russian T-14 Armata. The Pizarro 2 is also equipped with a laser warning/detection and its smoke grenade launchers have prismatic aerosol smoke in them.

     The amount of ammunition available was also a sore spot with the crews, and as the base ASCOD 2 is bigger, more ammunition storage is available.

     The Pizarro 2 driver has better night vision as well as a backup camera, and images from the cameras are displayed on an HD LCD screen.  In addition, the Mk-10 suite was replaced by the VC10 suite, which integrates the day vision, night vision, and fire control into a single suite of electronics.  This includes 2^nd Gen Thermal Imaging for the commander and gunner.

     The Pizarro 2’s suspension is beefed up to take the extra weight and size of the Pizarro 2, and the engine is replaced with an MTU V8 199 T21 turbocharged diesel outputting 805 horsepower.  The transmission and driver’s controls are the same used on the Pizarro.

     Finally, I told the readers above about crews jury-rigging weapon mounts in front of their TC hatches.  The Pizarro 2 has a new machinegun mount; it uses a modified MG3 and turns the commander’s hatch into a cupola.  The MG3 can be aimed, fired, and reloaded from inside the cupola when the hatch is closed, and the commander has a reticle using a laser rangefinder and ballistic computer on an LCD screen or by using the weapon’s sights themselves with the head outside of the turret.

Ulan

     The Ulan (Lance) is not sold whole to Austria; they instead are sold as a kit to Steyr, who does the assembly. All of Austria’s Ulans were delivered and assembled between 2002 and 2005, for a total force of 112 Ulans.

     The primary difference between the Ulan and the Pizarro is the engine.  The Ulan uses a more powerful (but also physically larger) MTU 8V-199-TE22 engine which develops 720 horsepower.  This makes the Ulan more fuel-hungry and decreases road range, but increases agility. The automatic transmission and driver’s controls are the same.

     The Ulan does not have lugs for ERA on their armor, though it can mount applique armor as on the Pizarro; the applique armor kit for the Ulan uses thicker steel. However, it, too, cannot mount cage armor. Ulans are also equipped with the MEXAS system. The suspension is essentially the same, but made by Renk in Germany instead of GDLS. The Ulan has an NBC overpressure system with a collective NBC backup.

     Instead of the TCs jury-rigging weapons mounts by their hatch, the Austrian made pintle mounts in front of their hatches standard.  They cannot be used when the TC’s hatch is closed. Otherwise, the difference in armament consists of a change of machineguns from MG3s to MAGs.

     The Ulan is equipped with the Kolllsman Day/Night Range Sight (DNRS), which integrates a digital ballistic computer, day vision and night vision channels and a laser rangefinder. The Kollsman system also has an automatic target tracker; the gunner lases a target and the turret and gun slew to put the gun on target. The commander has a cupola with all-around vision blocks; the center front block has a magnification of x2.8; he also has an LCD screen which projects what the gunner is seeing; he does not have his own thermal imager. The TC has emergency controls for the gun to take care of sudden close threats. The Ulan was designed from the outset to carry more ammunition than the Pizarro. Most other differences are the use local components and systems instead of stock ASCOD parts and systems.

Ulan 2

     GDLS designed an ASCOD 2 to Austrian Ulan 2 specifications (I turned out to be very much like the Pizarro 2), but due to the availability of Russian armor vehicles and components, they decided to go a different route.  They bought the GDLS Ulan 2 hulls, but for a turret, they mounted the complete turret and turret basket of the Russian BMP-3.  They also applied some applique armor to the turret.  This was the vehicle they called the Ulan 2.

     As stated above, the turret is up-armored, and the ASCOD hull can also use the applique designed for the Pizarro 2.  In addition, a MEXAS armor suite was also used to improve the armor installation. The Ulan 2’s suspension is beefed up to take the extra weight and size of the Ulan 2, and the engine is replaced with an MTU V8 199 T21 turbocharged diesel outputting 805 horsepower.  The transmission and driver’s controls are the same used on the Ulan, but are produced by Renk under license.

     The turret has the same basic controls, but are replaced with local components, often improved over the BMP-3’s components.  The Austrian installed an upgrade of the Kollsman fire control suite, this includes the Kollsman system automatic target tracker.  The commander has his own thermal/image intensifier/day magnification sight head on the turret roof; this gives the Ulan 2 a hunter/killer capability.  The missiles and gun ammunition is the same as on the BMP-3, including the 9M117 Bastion missiles; however, these are locally produced instead of coming from Russia.  Instead of the PKT machineguns of the BMP-3, MAG machineguns have been installed.

     The Ulan 2’s passenger compartment is more cramped than that of the Ulan, due the space the BMP-3’s turret requires.  The Austrian Army says that the Ulan 2 can seat seven; the troops have found that is true, but only if the troops do not take large items like heavy weapons, machineguns, etc.  Six dismounts was found to be a more realistic number.

Czech ASCOD 2 Tender

     In 2018, the Czech Republic put forth a tender for an IFV to replace their aging BVP-1s and BVP-2s.  They have tested several vehicles to fill the role: the German Lynx, the Swedish CV90, and the ASCOD 2.  In all cases, the IFVs were upgraded and improved, and modified with the use of several Czech-made components.  Originally, the replacement for the BVPs was to be in service by 2022; this date, however, has slipped to 2023, and may slip further.  Rumors are circulating that the competition will be halted, citing that none of the competing vehicles satisfied all requirements.  Another rumor states that the Czechs might seek (major) upgrades for their BVPs.

     So one of these possible vehicles for the Czech tender is the ASCOD 2.  This version uses the maximum armor suite for the ASCOD 2, including MEXAS composite layers and spaced armor.  The armor is also thicker, a big part of why the Czech ASCOD 2 is so much heavier than most ASCOD 2-based vehicles. This armor includes an MRAP hull and a MEXAS layer in the belly armor.  Suspension is similar to other ASCOD 2s, but is heavily beefed up to carry the enormously greater weight.  805 horsepower and 1072-horsepower engines have been tested.  A hybrid powerplant design has also been tested. Despite the weight, these powerplants give the ASCOD 2CZ good speed and agility. 

     For a turret, the ASCOD 2CZ is equipped with an Israeli Elbit MT-30 Mk 2 turret. This turret is armed with 30mm Bushmaster II autocannon, VZ-68 machinegun, and a dual Spike-LR ATGM launcher which retracts into the hull for reloading.  The ASCOD 2CZ uses the Israeli MiniPOP Fire Control /Optics suite which integrates all electronics and day/night optics. The commander and gunner have independent optics heads, allowing for a hunter/killer capability. The MT-30 generally takes control of the turret in combat (there is a gunner’s override), slewing the turret to the designated target and laying the gun on it, and automatically firing the laser rangefinder at it. The gunner supplies fine-tuning the aim of the gun, then gives authorization to the computer to fire. The MT-30 system allows the gun to track moving targets.  As the ASCOD 2CZ has a hunter/killer capability, the gunner may be firing on a target, and the commander feeding the next target into the fire control computer.  The commander also has an emergency override just in case the commander sees a more threatening target.

     The Czechs are also considering other autocannons for ASCOD 2CZ, including cannons of 35mm, 40mm, and 50mm.  These autocannons will be Bushmaster autocannons, as the change would not be difficult.  I am statting these below, but I am only using the 805-horsepower (the engine most likely to be used) in the stats below. In any case, the autocannon and coax would have a depression of -10 degrees and elevation of +60 degrees, making it capable of engaging infantry on the ground, vehicles, and helicopters.

     At the rear of the turret are clusters of three smoke grenade launchers; the angle of these launchers may be adjusted by the commander.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Ulan 2 and Pizarro 2 do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline; both the Pizarro and Ulan are usually seen wearing applique armor.  The Czech version of the ASCOD 2 also does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

*Belly armor is 6Sp.

**Belly armor is 7Cp and is an MRAP belly.

***Belly Armor is 8Cp; Roof Armor is 5Sp.

**** Belly armor is 7Cp and is an MRAP belly, Roof Armor is 6Sp.

*****Belly Armor is 8Cp and is an MRAP belly.  Roof Armor is 7Sp.

OT-62

     Notes:  The OT-62 was originally to be a joint Czech/Polish copy of the Russian BTR-50PK, but it quickly got enough changes, upgrades, and modifications to be considered its own vehicle.  The OT-64 entered service with Czechoslovakia in 1964; the Polish did a bit more work on their version, the OT-62C, and it did not enter service until 1966; production ended in 1971.  Some 15 other countries use or used the OT-62, but its original users – Czechoslovakia and Poland – have long since sold or given them to other countries, turned into range targets, or in some cases, turned over to civilian police or fire services.  As of 2010, Libya and Egypt operate the largest amount of OT-62s; they still have hundreds in service.

     The OT-62 looks basically like a BTR-50, but there are several important differences.  The OT-62 is a physically somewhat larger vehicle, particularly in length.  The OT-64 commander’s position has a small turret, barely larger than a cupola, instead of a simple pintle mount for its machinegun.  The OT-62 has a more powerful PV-6 Diesel engine developing 300 horsepower in it, and is propelled during amphibious operations by waterjets.  The troop compartment is fully enclosed and has an NBC overpressure system, which can be operated by a hand crank if the main system fails.  The front half of the vehicle is higher than the rear half, like the BTR-50.  The commander’s turret is on the front left of the raised section, with the driver to his right.  The commander has vision blocks for his turret and two vision blocks in the hull in front of him; the driver has three vision blocks just below his hatch on the front hull.  The commander’s turret does not have a hatch.  The engine compartment is in the rear of the vehicle, along with the transmission, cooling system, and fuel tanks; the passengers leave and enter by overhead hatches or doors in the sides of the passenger compartment as the rear of the raised section of the hull.  The automotive compartment and the crew compartment have automatic fire detection and extinguishing systems.  The system can also be activated by manual pull handles, and fire extinguishing bottles are also present.  The suspension is by conventional torsion bars, with six large roadwheels which are hollow to increase buoyancy.  Track tension is variable and can be adjusted by the driver from his compartment.  The vehicle is long but has only two pairs of shock absorbers, leading to a rough ride.  The OT-62 is amphibious, propelled by waterjets, and requires that a pair of bilge pumps be turned on and a trim vane extended at the front; a special driving vision block that allows the driver to see over the trim vane must also be put in. This procedure takes 10 minutes. The bilge pump can be operated manually if necessary.

     The basic Czech version, the OT-62A Topas, is armed with an M-59A recoilless rifle mounted on the rear deck, but has no commander’s armament; in addition, the commander has no hatch above him.  The OT-62B Topas-2A has the small turret mentioned above; it is armed with one machinegun and is manually-rotated and has manual elevation and some side-to-side movement for the gun.  Beside the turret is a T-21 recoilless rifle; it can be aimed and fired from inside the vehicle, but reloaded only by opening the hatch behind it and having someone reload it.  To the right of the recoilless rifle is a manually-operated IR searchlight. 

     The OT-62C Topas-2AP is the Polish version, and it differs much from the Czech versions.  In the center of the raised section of the deck is the same turret as fitted to the OT-64, with a KPVT heavy machinegun and a coaxial PKT. The guns can be elevated almost straight up (89.5 degrees), but only to -5 degrees. The turret also has an AT-3 Sagger launch rail on either side of the turret on some models.