The present of Norwegian forces in Kosovo has resulted in many new armored units. Most of them are based on the Leopard 1 chassis. The Sisu is only in use in the "Telemark Bataljon", a rapid deployment Nato unit.

The Norwegian Crest.

  Sisu  

Sisu XA-180 APC was made as a protoype for the Finnish Army. It was to replace the Russian-supplied BTR-60PB (8x8) used in FInland. After extensive trials it won over Valmet's prototype, and was selected in 1983.

Hull is all-welded 10 mm thick armor with commander and driver in front. Engine compartment is to the rear of the driver, on left side, and troop compartment rear. Troops sits five each side at rear on bench seats, and enter and leave via twin doors in hul rear, one of which has firing port and vision block. Two roof hatches over troop compartment and three vision blocks in each side with firing port beneath. Steering power-assisted on front two axels and vehicle fully amphibious, propelled by two propellers under hull rear. It is equiped with front-mounted winch with 50 m of 166 mm cable capacity of 10 tonnes.

The Sisu is in use in the Finnish Army, and used by Austria, Finland, Ireland, Norway and Sweden when operating as part of United Nations or NATO forces.

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  Bergepanser  

The bergepanser (German: Bergepanzer Taurus) is crewed by four: driver, commander and two mechanics. It has a traversable jib-boom which can lift 20 tonnes (which includes a complete turret or power pack). It has a hydraulically operated dozer blade used either for clearing or as an anchor for heavy lifts. The vehicle has two winches: the main winch, a horizontal cable drum used for owing. The cable is 33 mm in width and 90 m long. In a straight pull it can move 35 tonnes and up to 70 tonnes with a guide pulley. There is a hydraulically driven automatic tension device which extends or rewinds the cable. There is also a hoisting winch, with a vertical drum, which is mounted on the right hand side of the crew compartment.

The vehicle also has a multitude of tools, both normal recovery and special, such as electric welding and cutting equipment, a chain saw and all the tackle necessary to lift and change the Leopard power pack, which can be carried on the ARV rear deck. There is one machine gun in the hull and a second mounted on the commander's hatch. The left side of the vehicle mounts six smoke projectors in two groups. They are in service with Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway.

The Modified Norwegian ARV (picture top right) has additional armour and 255 other modifications. It can be fitted with a quick-recovery device fitted to the dozer blade. This enables the crew of the bergepanser to recover a broken-down tank under full armored cover.

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  AVLB Bridgelayer  

The Bridge layer (Original German designation: Biber, meaning a beaver) used a unique laying system, it lays horizontally, never presenting a large, obvious target while laying as do most scissor bridges.

The bridge is light alloy and is 11.65m long when retracted. When laying the entire mechanism never raises higher than 4m (the Chieftain AVLB is 12.2m). There is considerable flexibility during emplacement as well, the Biber can lay when there is a difference in elevation between ends of 5m down and 2.5m up. The bridge spans up to 25m (it is 26m long, but nead at least 50cm on each side) and can handle vehicles up to 70 tonnes. Norway is the only country with the heavy Leopard 2 that has bridges with this wide span.

Laying consists of the vehicle bracing itself with it's blade then the lower section of bridge slides out and the upper drops down and locks on the lower (now the forward). The whole assembly is then pushed forward on a cantilever boom until emplaced.

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  INGPV Engineer vehicle  

Ingeniørpanservogn (armored combat engineer vehicle, original German designation: Pionerpanzer 2 Dachs) was purchased for the army engineer units. It can provide a vigorous obstacle building capability on the battlefield and to assist armour in conducting river crossings. The vehicle has improved bilge pumps, making it capable to work under water at a depth of 2.25 m, with the commander sitting on top of a snorkel placed on his cuppola. From there he can remote control the dozer blade.

The crew has larger periscopes than other Leopard versions, giving the crew larger view area making them capable to work with armor protection. The vehicle has a two man crew and is equipped with a dozer blade and an boom mounted evacuator. is is capable of moving 170cu.m of soil per hour each. The boom also have a pull strength of 15 tonnes and a push strength of 10 tonnes. The boom can elevate to 60 degrees and can move horizontally through 180 degrees. The boom and dozer blade can both be operated simultaneously by the operator.

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  MRPV Mine clearer  

This vehicle is test version for the Norwegian engineer units. It is not in service..

It is a mineclearing flail with the Leopard 1 chassis and the brittish Aardwark flail.

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  MKPV Armored minescattering vehicle   

This is a project only. The vehicle is not in service yet, and will probably never enter service due to the political mine issue.

The minescattering vehicle is intended to throw 800-1000 mines from 10 to 140 meter. This will be done within 5 minutes only. It takes 20 minutes to "reload" the vehicle.

The intention is to deploy a minefield with great speed and with an armored vehicle. This vehicle has the same specifications as the Leopard 1 tank, giving it great mobility.

When it has deployed the minefield, it will automaticaly register and report it. The "minekasterpanservogn" is armed with a 12,7 mm, and is equipped with GPS and has night capacity. It is crewed with one commander, and one driver.

Picture of BV206 with mine thrower mounted:

  GBPV Armored breaching vehicle  

The "Gjennombrytnings-panervogn" are only a project The vehicle is not in service yet.

This modified Leopard will swiftly breach through minefields with surface mines.

It will make a gate both on road and in the terrain. It is equiped with mineplow, electronic and eksplosive mine removal systems.

The "gjennombrytningspanservogn" is operated by a commander and his driver. They can use GPS, and are equiped with night vision aid. The commander operates the 12,7 mm automatic gun.

  MKPV Armor ground reinforsment vehicle   

This is only a test vehicle, but this kind of equipment has been mounted on Scania trucks and BV206's.

The idea is to be capable of laying out a 50 m long mat, which is suitable for other vehicle to use as improvised road. On the right hand you can see images of this kind of material mounted on the BV206.

The Leopard version will be equiped with a plow, night capacity and GPS. It will be operated by a commander and his driver. It is not in service, and due to low fund, it is unsertain if it ever will.

  M113 family  

M113 is one of the most used armored personell carriers (APC) in the world. By 1992 over 76,000 M113s and its variants had been built.

It is armed with aluminium, and powered with an engine placed in the front, on the drivers right hand. The vehicle is fully amphibious, propelled in the water by its tracks. Befor entering the water, a trim vane is erected at front of hull and bilge pumps switched on.

The M113 is used in many variants in Norway. The most common one is equipped with nothing else than a 12,7 mm machine gun. It is also used as a TOW launcher, mine plow, command and controll vehicle, mortar carrier, ambulance and engineer transporter.

On the picture here, you can see the M113 with mineplow in Kosovo. Click on it to open a full size image (118 KB).

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  M577 Command post  

The M577 Command post vehicle is a modified M113 with higher compartement in the rear. This enables a room with a comfort amount of space.

The vehicle is typically used as a battalion headquarter. It is often fitted with large map boards, benches and drawers inside. It is well equipped with radios.

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  M548 Cargo carrier  

This is a transporter made on the chassis of a M113. It is mainly used for transporting ammunition to the front, and especially to the M109 artillery and Leopard tanks.

  M109 Artillery  

The M109 series was developed in the 1950s. First production vehicles completed in 1962 and production of latest M109 continues with over 4000 built so far. It is widely used in western Nato countries. It is designed in the USA.

The driver sits front left, engine compartment to his right and large hull rear. Turret traverses through 360° and 155 mm howitzer elevates from -3° to +75°. Ammunition is separate loaded type with 34 projectiles and charges carried, plus two copperhead cannon launched guided projectiles. Following types of projectiles fired by M109A2: HE (hight explosives, range 18,100 m), Improved Conventional Munition, RAAMS (Remote Anti-Armor Mine System), ADAM (Area Denial Artillery Munition), HERA (High Explosive Rocket Assists), illuminating, smoke, high explosive (grenade), and numerous other types.

  MLRS Rocket launcher  

Multiple Launch Rocket Site is based on the chassis of the Bradley IFV. It is the modern age artillery, firing precision guided rockets instead of dead artillery shells. It can stop, fire and drive away just after the rocket has lauched. One MLRS has the same fire effeciency as a whole battery of M109.

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  Links to other recources:  

• AFVInteriors inside the MLRS