SPAIN

Competition for new FSCT wheeled combat vehicle

     There are likely to be at least two competitors for the Spanish Army’s Futuro Sistema de Combate Terrestre, or FSCT 8x8 wheeled future armoured combat vehicle: General Dynamics Santa Barbara Sistemas (with either the Swiss MOWAG Piranha V, or the Austrian Steyr Spezialfahrzeug Pandur II); and France’s Nexter Systèmes teamed with local company GTD (offering Nexter’s VBCI).

     In addition, Finland’s Patria Land & Armament may propose its Armoured Modular Vehicle (AMV), Germany’s ARTEC GmbH may offer the Boxer and Italy’s Consorzio Iveco Oto Melara may propose its Centauro.

     Whichever vehicle is selected for the FSCT requirement, it will have to provide significant protection against mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), which have caused major damage to Spanish forces operating in Afghanistan and Lebanon.