In 1956, the contractor Osterreichische Saurer-Werke from Vienna (which was taken over by Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG in 1970) started development of an armoured personnel carrier. The first prototype, the 3K 3H, was completed in 1958 and the second, the 4K 3H, the following year. They are both powered by a Saurer 3H 200 hp diesel engine.[2]
The next model, the 4K 2P, had a different hull layout, a new torsion bar suspension and was powered by a 250 hp Saurer 2P diesel engine. In appearance it was similar to the first production vehicles which were completed in 1961 and designated 4K 4F. Later production vehicles were the 4K 3FA (230 hp) and the 4K 4FA (250 hp), which differed only in minor details such as their Sauer engines.[2]
A total of 445 production vehicles was delivered to the Austrian Army in the following versions: 30 4K 4F, 211 4K 3FA, 38 4K 3FA-FS, 12 4K 4FA-Fü/FIA, 15 4K 4FA-San, 76 4K 4FA-G2, 60 4K 4FA FüA 1 to 4 series, three 4K 3FA Fül and a number of 4K 3FA GrW1 81 mm mortar carriers which were conversions of earlier vehicles. Production was finally completed in 1969. The vehicle was succeeded in production by a new model, described in detail in a separate entry, called the 4K 7FA which uses the same automotive components as the SK-105 Kürassier light tank also manufactured by Steyr-Daimler-Puch. Production of the 4K FA and SK 105 are complete and all marketing of these has ceased.[2]
In mid-1999, the Austrian MoD awarded Steyr-Daimler-Puch a contract for the supply of 112 ASCOD Ulan infantry fighting vehicles for the Austrian Army. These were delivered from 2002 to 2004 and has now replaced at least part of the current Saurer 4K 4FA APC fleet of the Austrian Army. The 4K 4FA series will remain in service with Austria for some time.[2]
Description
The hull of the Saurer 4K 4FA series armoured personnel carrier is made of all-welded steel armour and is immune to penetration from 20 mm armour-piercing projectiles over its frontal arc.[2] The driver sits at the front of the hull on the left side with the power pack to his right and has a two-piece hatch cover that opens to the left and right, in front of which are three day periscopes. The centre periscope can be replaced by a passive periscope for driving at night.[2]
The gunner sits behind the driver and on the basic model has a cupola with a two-piece hatch cover opening left and right and a single day observation periscope. A standard 0.50 inch (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine gun is mounted on the forward part of the cupola and most vehicles are fitted with a shield to give limited frontal protection to the gunner. This model is known under the company designation of the 4K 4FA-G1 with its Austrian Army designation being the usMGSPz (Schützenpanzer/Überschweres MG).
The personnel compartment is at the rear of the hull with the eight infantrymen seated on bench seats, four down each side of the hull. The crew in the rear face inwards. The section leader is the first on the right seat and is provided with a day periscope in the forward part of the personnel compartment roof, on the right side. Access to the personnel compartment is by two doors in the rear of the hull.[2] Two hatches over the roof of the vehicle open to the outside. Mounting sockets for the pivot trunnion of an adaptor mount for the MG 42 machine gun are provided on the front, right, left and rear side of the hatch above the personnel compartment.[2]
The suspension is of the torsion bar type with either side consisting of five dual road wheels with the drive sprocket at the front, the idler at the rear and two track-return rollers. The first and last road wheel stations are provided with a hydraulic shock-absorber.[2] The 4K 4FA has no NBC system, night vision equipment or amphibious capability.[2]
Variants
4K 4FA-G2 (Grenadier-Schützenpanzer)
This is similar to the basic 4K 4FA-G1 but is fitted with an Oerlikon Contraves GAD-AOA one-person turret which is armed with a 20 mm Oerlikon Contraves cannon Model 204 GK. This is belt-fed and can be used in both the ground and anti-aircraft roles. The weapon is provided with 100 rounds of ready use ammunition and the empty cartridge cases and links are ejected outside the turret. The 20 mm cannon has an elevation of +70° and a depression of -12°, turret traverse is 360°. Although its company designation is the 4K 4FA-G2 its Austrian Army designation is the MK66SPz Schützenpanzer/Maschinenkanone 66.
4K 4FA-San (Ambulance)
A Saurer APC outfitted for combat medical evacuation
Full designation is 4K 4FA-San (Sanitätspanzer). This model is unarmed and has a crew of two, the driver and the medical orderly, and it can carry four sitting and two stretcher patients. The stretchers are carried in the left side of the hull with the four sitting patients on the bench seat down the right side of the hull, strapped in with waist and shoulder straps.
4K 4F GrW1 81 mm Mortar Carrier (Granatwerfer-SPz)
Mounted in the rear of the troop compartment, firing forwards, is an 81 mm mortar. A 120 mm self-propelled mortar was developed to the prototype stage (GrW2) but never entered service. The vehicle is armed with an 8.1 cm mGrW 82 (Mittelschwere Granatwerfer 82). Minimum range of the mortar is 180 m with maximum range being 5,850 m, normal rate of fire is 6 rounds per minute with maximum rate of fire being 18 to 25 rounds per minute.
81 mm Multiple Rocket Launcher
This is the basic APC with an Oerlikon Contraves 81 mm rocket launcher mounted on a turntable over the rear troop compartment. It is understood[by whom?] that these vehicles have now been phased out of service.
Schützenpanzer A1/LWT
This is the section vehicle for the MBDA Mistral man-portable surface-to-air missile systems in the Pz1FAL batteries.
ELVO Leonidas
Version of the vehicle used by the Greek Army and the Cypriot National Guard with a few modifications. It is armed with an M2 Browning Machine Gun and powered by a 320 hp engine. It was produced from Greek vehicle manufacturer ELVO from 1981. ELVO developed an upgrade called Leonidas 2 which entered production in 1986. All vehicles in Greek service have been upgraded to that standard.[3]
^Binnie, Jeremy; de Cherisey, Erwan (2017). (PDF). Jane's. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 June 2017.
External links
Saurer 4K 4FA at militaryfactory.com
December 30, 2022
saurer, austrian, armoured, personnel, carrier, with, caterpillar, tracks, later, replaced, steyr, went, into, production, 1961, typearmoured, personnel, carrierplace, originaustriaservice, historyused, byview, operators, warsboko, haram, insurgencyproduction,. The Saurer 4K 4FA is an Austrian armoured personnel carrier with caterpillar tracks It was later replaced by the Steyr 4K 7FA G 127 It went into production in 1961 1 Saurer 4K 4FAA Saurer 4K 4FATypeArmoured personnel carrierPlace of originAustriaService historyUsed byView in Operators WarsBoko Haram insurgencyProduction historyManufacturerSaurer WerkSpecificationsMass4K 4FA G2 15 tonnes4K 4FA G1 12 5 tonnesLength5 4 m 17 ft 9 in Width2 5 m 8 ft 2 in Height2 1 m 6 ft 11 in Crew2Passengers8ArmoursteelMainarmament4K 4FA G2 20 mm Oerlikon Contraves cannon Model 204 GK 4K 4FA G1 12 7 mm M2 Browning machine gunEngine6 cylinder Saurer diesel engine250 hp 184 kw Suspensiontorsion bar 5 road wheelsOperationalrange370 km 230 mi Maximum speed65 km h 40 mph Contents 1 History 2 Description 3 Variants 4 Operators 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory EditIn 1956 the contractor Osterreichische Saurer Werke from Vienna which was taken over by Steyr Daimler Puch AG in 1970 started development of an armoured personnel carrier The first prototype the 3K 3H was completed in 1958 and the second the 4K 3H the following year They are both powered by a Saurer 3H 200 hp diesel engine 2 The next model the 4K 2P had a different hull layout a new torsion bar suspension and was powered by a 250 hp Saurer 2P diesel engine In appearance it was similar to the first production vehicles which were completed in 1961 and designated 4K 4F Later production vehicles were the 4K 3FA 230 hp and the 4K 4FA 250 hp which differed only in minor details such as their Sauer engines 2 A total of 445 production vehicles was delivered to the Austrian Army in the following versions 30 4K 4F 211 4K 3FA 38 4K 3FA FS 12 4K 4FA Fu FIA 15 4K 4FA San 76 4K 4FA G2 60 4K 4FA FuA 1 to 4 series three 4K 3FA Ful and a number of 4K 3FA GrW1 81 mm mortar carriers which were conversions of earlier vehicles Production was finally completed in 1969 The vehicle was succeeded in production by a new model described in detail in a separate entry called the 4K 7FA which uses the same automotive components as the SK 105 Kurassier light tank also manufactured by Steyr Daimler Puch Production of the 4K FA and SK 105 are complete and all marketing of these has ceased 2 In mid 1999 the Austrian MoD awarded Steyr Daimler Puch a contract for the supply of 112 ASCOD Ulan infantry fighting vehicles for the Austrian Army These were delivered from 2002 to 2004 and has now replaced at least part of the current Saurer 4K 4FA APC fleet of the Austrian Army The 4K 4FA series will remain in service with Austria for some time 2 Description EditThe hull of the Saurer 4K 4FA series armoured personnel carrier is made of all welded steel armour and is immune to penetration from 20 mm armour piercing projectiles over its frontal arc 2 The driver sits at the front of the hull on the left side with the power pack to his right and has a two piece hatch cover that opens to the left and right in front of which are three day periscopes The centre periscope can be replaced by a passive periscope for driving at night 2 The gunner sits behind the driver and on the basic model has a cupola with a two piece hatch cover opening left and right and a single day observation periscope A standard 0 50 inch 12 7 mm M2 Browning machine gun is mounted on the forward part of the cupola and most vehicles are fitted with a shield to give limited frontal protection to the gunner This model is known under the company designation of the 4K 4FA G1 with its Austrian Army designation being the usMGSPz Schutzenpanzer Uberschweres MG The personnel compartment is at the rear of the hull with the eight infantrymen seated on bench seats four down each side of the hull The crew in the rear face inwards The section leader is the first on the right seat and is provided with a day periscope in the forward part of the personnel compartment roof on the right side Access to the personnel compartment is by two doors in the rear of the hull 2 Two hatches over the roof of the vehicle open to the outside Mounting sockets for the pivot trunnion of an adaptor mount for the MG 42 machine gun are provided on the front right left and rear side of the hatch above the personnel compartment 2 The suspension is of the torsion bar type with either side consisting of five dual road wheels with the drive sprocket at the front the idler at the rear and two track return rollers The first and last road wheel stations are provided with a hydraulic shock absorber 2 The 4K 4FA has no NBC system night vision equipment or amphibious capability 2 Variants Edit4K 4FA G2 Grenadier Schutzenpanzer This is similar to the basic 4K 4FA G1 but is fitted with an Oerlikon Contraves GAD AOA one person turret which is armed with a 20 mm Oerlikon Contraves cannon Model 204 GK This is belt fed and can be used in both the ground and anti aircraft roles The weapon is provided with 100 rounds of ready use ammunition and the empty cartridge cases and links are ejected outside the turret The 20 mm cannon has an elevation of 70 and a depression of 12 turret traverse is 360 Although its company designation is the 4K 4FA G2 its Austrian Army designation is the MK66SPz Schutzenpanzer Maschinenkanone 66 4K 4FA San Ambulance A Saurer APC outfitted for combat medical evacuation Full designation is 4K 4FA San Sanitatspanzer This model is unarmed and has a crew of two the driver and the medical orderly and it can carry four sitting and two stretcher patients The stretchers are carried in the left side of the hull with the four sitting patients on the bench seat down the right side of the hull strapped in with waist and shoulder straps 4K 4F GrW1 81 mm Mortar Carrier Granatwerfer SPz Mounted in the rear of the troop compartment firing forwards is an 81 mm mortar A 120 mm self propelled mortar was developed to the prototype stage GrW2 but never entered service The vehicle is armed with an 8 1 cm mGrW 82 Mittelschwere Granatwerfer 82 Minimum range of the mortar is 180 m with maximum range being 5 850 m normal rate of fire is 6 rounds per minute with maximum rate of fire being 18 to 25 rounds per minute 81 mm Multiple Rocket LauncherThis is the basic APC with an Oerlikon Contraves 81 mm rocket launcher mounted on a turntable over the rear troop compartment It is understood by whom that these vehicles have now been phased out of service Schutzenpanzer A1 LWTThis is the section vehicle for the MBDA Mistral man portable surface to air missile systems in the Pz1FAL batteries ELVO LeonidasVersion of the vehicle used by the Greek Army and the Cypriot National Guard with a few modifications It is armed with an M2 Browning Machine Gun and powered by a 320 hp engine It was produced from Greek vehicle manufacturer ELVO from 1981 ELVO developed an upgrade called Leonidas 2 which entered production in 1986 All vehicles in Greek service have been upgraded to that standard 3 Operators Edit Map of 4K 4FA operators in blue Austria As the Saurer 4K4FA Bolivia As the 4K4FA SB20 Greif Recovering vehicle Cyprus As the ELVO Leonidas 2 Greece As the ELVO Leonidas 3 Nigeria 250 4 Boko Haram 5 See also Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to APC Saurer M113 AMX 13 ELVO Leonidas 2 SK 105 Kurassier Schutzenpanzer Lang HS 30References Edit Saurer 4K 4FA a b c d e f g h i j Schutzenpanzer SAURER 4K 4FA A1 vezovy ARMYTECHNIKA cz a b The Austrian 4K 4FA APC series Nigerian Armed Forces 7 October 2013 Binnie Jeremy de Cherisey Erwan 2017 New model African armies PDF Jane s Archived from the original PDF on 22 June 2017 External links EditSaurer 4K 4FA at militaryfactory com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Saurer 4K 4FA amp oldid 1107628578, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
