URO-Vamtac

Spain (1998) - c4500 built

URO-Vamtac; a Spanish Hummer ?

The URO Vamtac (Vehículo de Alta Movilidad Táctico) is a family of high-mobility tactical vehicles designed and produced by the Spanish company URO Vehículos Especiales (UROVESA). These vehicles are intended primarily for military and law enforcement applications, with the Vamtac series being versatile and highly adaptable for different operational needs.

The Vamtac is a 4x4 military vehicle designed to be highly maneuverable, capable of operating in difficult terrain and under harsh conditions. It is used for a variety of roles, including troop transport, command and control, logistics, reconnaissance, and combat support. It is the most common light armour APC in service with the Spanish Army today. The Vamtac is typically built with modularity in mind, allowing for various configurations depending on the mission requirements. known for its mobility, especially off-road. It is built to handle rough terrain, making it effective in combat zones, peacekeeping missions, and other challenging environments. With an emphasis on high mobility, the vehicle can operate in both rural and urban settings, and it's capable of handling extreme weather conditions.

Armament and Protection: While many Vamtac models are used for transport and logistics, some variants are fitted with weapon systems such as machine guns or grenade launchers for combat purposes. Armored versions are equipped with blast-resistant features to provide protection against improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and small arms fire.

The URO Vamtac has been used by various military forces around the world, including Spain, and it has seen action in several international peacekeeping missions and military engagements. The vehicle has been deployed by various international organizations such as NATO and the European Union in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.

Many Vamtac models come equipped with advanced technology like GPS, communication systems, and electronic warfare equipment for situational awareness and operational effectiveness. Overall, the URO Vamtac is a versatile and durable tactical vehicle that serves multiple roles in modern military operations, thanks to its adaptability, mobility, and modular design.

Design of the Vamtac

The URO VAMTAC (High Mobility Tactical Vehicle) is a four-wheel drive all-terrain vehicle intended primarily for the military field and manufactured by the Spanish company UROVESA in Santiago de Compostela. Based on the concept of the American Humvee, although with more advanced technology as it was developed fifteen years after it, it is currently the vehicle used by the Spanish Armed Forces. Its serial production began in 1998. Since then, it has been constantly improving, going from the Rebeco (1998-2003) and S3 (2004-2010) models, to the current version, the VAMTAC ST5, which has been manufactured since 2013 and provides greater load capacity and better possibilities of adaptation to various equipment and armour.

In January 2012, the Ministry of Defense, through its central purchasing body, the Directorate General of Armament and Material (DGAM), began the procedure to acquire new generation vehicles to renew the VAMTAC fleet.3 In June 2012, its new VAMTAC 3.5 was presented at the Eurosatory show (Paris), a 4x4 vehicle "with very high all-terrain performance" similar to that of the original VAMTAC although with less load capacity. In 2020, the acquisition of 663 VAMTACs for various units of the Spanish Armed Forces was announced.

Its all-terrain performance and high mobility characteristics give it an extraordinary capacity to move at high speeds through very rugged areas and fully loaded. The VAMTAC has been in service in areas such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Lebanon, used by the Spanish Armed Forces or by others such as Portugal, Romania and Morocco.

Its civilian applications focus on firefighting and civil protection activities, as well as police and security activities. The family business Narval, specialised in refrigerated logistics and distribution, had this military model adapted to Narval's refrigerated logistics among its fleet of vehicles, to provide service to high mountain stations such as Sierra Nevada.

Variants of the URO-Vamtac

The URO Vamtac comes in a number of variants to meet different operational needs, including:
Troop Transport: For moving soldiers quickly and safely.
Command and Control: Equipped with communications and computing systems for military command operations.
Logistics: Designed to transport supplies, fuel, or ammunition.
Armored Versions: Some Vamtac models are armored to protect occupants from small arms fire, shrapnel, and land mines.

> URO VAMTAC I3 (initially designated URO VAMTAC T3)
> URO VAMTAC S3 (initially T5)
> URO VAMTAC S3 ARMORED
> URO VAMTAC ST5 BN1/BN2/BN3
> URO VAMTAC SK: Derived from the ST5 model.

The new armored S3 has ballistic protection up to level 3, based on a modular crew survival capsule, equipped with internal Spall-liners, ballistic steel plates, armored glass with frame and ceramic outer plates. It also has protection against mines and improvised explosive charges (IED) achieved thanks to its anti-deformation structure, a V-shaped lower steel diffuser, elements to absorb the shock wave, raised floor with anti-mine blanket, doors with anti-deformation diffuser, safety locks, special seats with headrests, footrests and safety belts.

It can also include heating, air conditioning, thermal and acoustic insulation, laminated windows, electric windshield wipers, a hatch with a remote-controlled weapon station or mount, roll bars, run-flat wheels, automatic tire pressure control (CTIS), an anti-explosion and anti-fire system, mounts for cannons up to 30 mm, inhibitors, etc.

With all these modifications, the vehicle reaches a weight of 8,500 kg, despite which it maintains exceptional mobility thanks to the fact that it was equipped with a 218 hp Steyr Euro 3 engine (without the Euro 3 features it could reach up to 300 hp), coupled to an Allison automatic transmission with six forward speeds and one reverse speed.

Applications: Ambulances, cargo, fuel tank, Communications, Vans, Command and control, Missile launching platforms, Weapon carriers, Shelter carriers, Surveillance systems, Personnel transport.

Spanish Models

The Spanish Armed Forces deployed c3000 with the Army (Esercito). In 1998, a first five-year contract was signed for the delivery of some 1,200 vehicles, of which approximately 40% were of the I3 version and the rest of the S3. In 2005, a second five-year contract was signed for approximately another 900 units, all of the S3 version. On May 29, 2013, a new contract was signed for 772 vehicles for the three Armies and the UME.6 And in 2020, the acquisition of up to 663 more for various branches of the FAS was announced, which should be completed before 2025.

The Spanish Air Force or "Ejercito" received 76 vehicles.

The Armada espanola (Spanish Navy) deployed 99 vehicles of the S3 version as part of a five-year contract but a total of 280 were in purchase intention.

The Spanish Military Emergency Unit 78 vehicles but they were detached from the Army fleet. These were deployed with the Civil Guard, Special Intervention Unit (UEI) and Reserve and Security Groups (GRS).

Exports

Saudi Arabia: 30 VAMTAC solicitados en 2010

Belgium: Decontamination variant

República Dominicana: Army (Ejército) and air force (Fuerza Aérea).

Indonesia: Starstreak anti-aircraft missile variant.

Iraq: 225 VAMTAC ST5 EOD (explosive ordnance disposal).

Malaysia: 109 VAMTAC ordered on April 23, 2008.

Morocco: 1,600 VAMTAC ordered in 2006 Morocco plans to acquire 400 URO VAMTACs

Portugal: 139 VAMTAC ST5 acquired for the Portuguese Army

Romania: 60 VAMTAC S3 and 2 VAMTAC S3 EOD (explosive ordnance disposal)

Singapore: Undisclosed numbers acquired has not been determined (it will replace the Humvee, jeep and Mercedes Benz MB290)

Army (Ejercito), National Police Corps, Special Operations Group, Police Intervention Units, Some firefighter units. Civil Protection (Madrid), Health Service of Castilla-La Mancha: Advanced Medical Post, General Directorate of Citizen Security and Emergencies (Murcia)

Honduras: The Fire Department has some units.

Venezuela: Some police and firefighter units tested these

Potential Customers: Thailand, Brazil, Ireland, Paraguay all tests the vehicle. For the latter, program to acquire 100 vehicles.

specifications of the URO-Vamtac
Dimensions	4.84 x 2.175 x 1.9m (15.90 ft x 7 ft 1.6 in x 6 ft 3 in)
Total weight
Crew	1+3
Propulsion	Steyr turbocharged diesel 188 hp (138 kW)
Transmission	5 speed automatic
Suspension	4-wheel independent (double wishbones with coil-springs)
Speed (road)	135 kph (84 mph)
Range	110 litres (24 imp gal; 29 US gal): 600 km (370 mi)
Armament	12.7 M2HB, see notes
Armor	6.5 mm armor, +extra ballistic kits
Total production	c4500