Author: army.cz|Caption: Pandur II CZ
In February the 41st Mechanized Battalion (4th Rapid Deployment Brigade) received five new Pandur wheeled armored vehicles in the command and communications versions. These days, the training of their four-member crews began at the unit’s training ground.
Vehicles in the communications (KOVS) version are designed for communication with subordinate units at the battalion level. The second version, the command and staff vehicle (KOVVŠ), is used to liaise with the superior level of command, in this case with the brigade headquarters.
"These vehicles fully meet the ideas of the 21st century armament and thanks to their incorporation into our combat formation, we will be fully compatible with other Alliance partners," Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Stanislav Kočica said.
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In addition to armor protection and mobility, soldiers highlight especially excellent Harris radios of their new vehicles.
"For us, these two new modifications bring huge benefits, especially in terms of vehicle capabilities, such as the integrated mast, which allows very fast deployment and thus connection over long distances in a short time. Another benefit is the safety of communication," the commander of the communications platoon of the 41st Mechanized Battalion, Lieutenant Josef Babáček explained. Thanks to these technologies, which are fully compatible with the resources of most of the Alliance's armies, soldiers can communicate instantly and provide connections in Afghanistan, Mali, Lithuania, but virtually anywhere in the world.
The vehicle also includes a staff workplace, which is an inflatable tent, where there are computers, printers, projectors, in short, everything that the battalion command needs to be able to conduct a combat operation. "We will develop this command post, connect it to this vehicle and with its help we will connect to other networks so that the staff is using, for example, to the army network, or to other places," Lieutenant Babáček said.
In the field, Pandur crews are able to operate indefinitely with logistical support. Two weeks, a month or more. Therefore, the vehicle equipment is based on temperature comfort. It is of course pleasant for the crew, but necessary especially for given technologies that require a stable temperature. "There is a built-in filter ventilation device against chemical attacks, which is standard on Pandur vehicles, but it also has an air conditioning unit. Hygienic conditions are very good and the vehicle works as long as it has fuel. Its supply is then carried out by the battalion's logistics company," Babáček added.
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Vehicles offer all kinds of connections that can be used in the military. Satellite, HF connection, VHF and UHF. Soldiers can use both omnidirectional and directional antennas, for example for radio relay communication. "With regard to electronic warfare, we transmit all information encrypted, which we did not have at such a level before," Lieutenant Josef Babáček describes the new technologies. Due to encryption, the enemy is not able to decrypt this information fast enough and is not able to detect any information in real time. "Technologies use such a level of encryption that the enemy would have to use far more complex technological means, and before they could access the encrypted information, they would be obsolete and therefore worthless. Both variants of the new Pandurs also have a jammer in their equipment, which is another advantage. If necessary, we can, on the contrary, interrupt the signals in the vicinity and clean the area,” Babáček emphazies the advantages of the new system.
New armored vehicles are replacing the old Praga V3S all-terrain multi-purpose trucks produced since 1953. Nine years after the introduction of the Pandur II CZ 8x8 wheeled Infantry Figthing Vehicles the Army finally receives specialized versions which can keep up with the troops: the V3S could slow the mechanized infantry columns down to 15 km/h in rough terrain.
Source: army.cz