The European branch of the American corporation General Dynamics, the Eastern European Czechoslovak Group industrial conglomerate, and the Ukrainian Armor defense company are considering the possibility of licensed production of ASCOD armored fighting vehicles.
Ukrainian Armor announced on Facebook on 26 August.
“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,” Ukrainian Armor CEO Vladyslav Belbas said.
The versatile ASCOD (Austrian Spanish Cooperative Development) platform is in service with leading NATO armies, including Spain, the UK, and Austria.
Experts from Ukrainian Armor, together with Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel, the State Research Institute of Armament Testing, and specialists from Czechoslovak Group, have already visited General Dynamics European Land Systems’ production facilities in Trubia, Spain. They saw ASCOD wheel and track vehicle manufacturing using state-of-the-art, NATO-standard technologies there. Ukrainian military personnel also test-drove the IFV to compare its capabilities with vehicles currently in Ukraine’s arsenal.
The ASCOD platform can be equipped with various armaments like the MK 44 Bushmaster 30/40mm automatic guns, turrets with 105mm or 120mm guns, and anti-tank guided missile systems.
It also features unique ballistic and mine protection systems, providing STANAG 4569 Level 4 ballistic protection (14.5mm armor-piercing shot) and Level 4a/4b mine protection (10kg explosive blast).
“We are discussing the possibility of supplying ASCODs to Ukraine as soon as possible with General Dynamics, organizing production and maintenance of the platform in Ukraine, and integrating advanced armament, electronics, and communications systems to achieve interoperability between Ukraine’s and NATO forces,” Belbas said.
In September, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported Ukraine and Sweden plan to jointly produce one thousand CV-90 infantry fighting vehicles for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Ukrainian versatile unmanned combat vehicle undergoes frontline testing
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