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ASCOD infantry fighting vehicle

LLC Ukrainian Armored Vehicles in partnership with the American General Dynamics and the Eastern European Czechoslovak Group announced plans 26 September 2023 to launch the production of ASCOD infantry fighting vehicles. "The European branch of the U.S. corporation General Dynamics, the Eastern European industrial conglomerate Czechoslovak Group, and Ukrainian Armored Vehicles are considering the possibility of licensed production of ASCOD infantry fighting vehicles," the statement read.

"The experience of modern warfare has demonstrated the enormous value of armored vehicles in saving the lives of our military. That is why we plan to supply and produce NATO standard infantry fighting vehicles in Ukraine," said Vladyslav Belbas, Director General of Ukrainian Armor.

The company's specialists together with the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Research Institute of Testing and Certification of Weapons and Military Equipment and specialists of the Czechoslovak Group Holding visited the production facilities of General Dynamics European Land Systems in Trubia, Spain, where they got acquainted with the unique production of wheeled and tracked vehicles using state-of-the-art technologies and in accordance with NATO standards.

It is emphasized that specialists from Ukrainian Armored Vehicles engaged the Ukrainian military and researchers in testing and certifying the vehicle, whole experts from Czechoslovak Group visited the production facilities of General Dynamics European Land Systems in the city of Trubia (Spain), where they saw production of wheeled and tracked vehicles. The Ukrainian military tested out the platforms.

According to Ukrainian Armored Vehicles CEO Vladyslav Belbas, the possibility of supplying ASCOD to Ukraine as soon as possible, organizing production and maintenance of the platform in Ukraine as soon as possible, and integrating advanced weapons, electronics, and communication systems to achieve operational interoperability of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and NATO are currently being discussed.

"We are discussing with General Dynamics European Land Systems the possibility of supplying ASCOD to Ukraine as soon as possible, organizing the production and maintenance of the platform in Ukraine as soon as possible, and integrating advanced weapons, electronics and communications systems to achieve interoperability between the Armed Forces of Ukraine and NATO," Belbas said.

As the company notes, the ASCOD` universal platform can be equipped with a variety of weapons systems: combat turrets with 30/40 mm MK 44 Bushmaster automatic guns, 105mm or 120mm caliber guns, and anti-tank guided missile systems.

Ukrainian servicemen tested the infantry fighting vehicle in order to compare the dynamic properties of the ASCOD with the existing equipment in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The versatile ASCOD platform can be equipped with a variety of weapon systems: combat modules with 30/40 mm automatic guns of the MK 44 Bushmaster type, turrets with 105 mm or 120 mm guns and anti-tank guided missile systems.

The platform is equipped with unique ballistic and mine protection systems, which provides a level of protection in accordance with STANAG 4569 - level 4 for ballistic protection (armor-piercing round of 14.5 mm caliber) and level 4a/4b for mine protection (10 kg of explosives).

Currently, the ASCOD IFV is in service with the armies of NATO allies Spain, Great Britain, Austria, and beyond. The development of the infantry fighting vehicle of the ASCOD project began in 1988 by the Austrian company "Steyr", but in order to attract funds, the Austrians involved the Spanish company "Santa Barbara" in the project.

In 1996, Spain placed an order for 144 ASCOD vehicles, giving it its name Pizarro ( Pizarro – Vehiculo de Combate de Infanteria). In 2004, Spain placed an additional order for 212 Pizarro IFVs. In May 1999, the Ministry of Defense of Austria concluded a contract with the Steyr-Daimler-Puch company for the supply in 2002-2004 of 112 ASCOD IFVs under the Austrian name KSPz- 90 Ulan ( KSPz-90 Ulan – Kampfschutzenpanzer ) to replace part of the tracked armored personnel carriers 4K 4FA. At the end of 1999, Thailand ordered 15 ASCOD IFVs, one command-staff and one repair-evacuation vehicle for its marine corps.