As the Army seeks solutions for a Short-Range Air Defense (SHORAD) system for lighter units, General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) is debuting the Pandur 6×6 vehicle, initially built for the Austrian Army. This vehicle comes from GDLS’s sister company, European Land Systems’ Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge, and was developed in the 1980s. Despite its age, the Pandur has undergone several iterations and technological updates over the years, with the latest version known as Pandur Evolution (EVO), as mentioned by Ray Moldovan, GDLS’s business development manager.
GDLS is also providing the Stryker combat vehicle for the Army’s fielded Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense system, called Sgt. Stout, which includes a variations designed for countering unmanned aircraft systems. While the Pandur EVO shares some similarities with the Stryker, it is described as highly mobile, survivable, and scalable, with a lighter weight and smaller footprint according to Moldovan.
The Army is actively pursuing multiple M-SHORAD modernization efforts following a rapid fielding of an interim solution. The development of the M-SHORAD system occurred in response to an urgent operational need identified in 2016 for use in Europe, with the requirement established by February 2018. It took just 19 months from requirement generation to the delivery of prototypes for testing in early 2020.
The M-SHORAD is based on the Stryker platform and incorporates a mission equipment package developed by Leonardo DRS, alongside the RTX Stinger missile launcher. The system was first deployed to a platoon in Europe in 2021, and the Army has since fielded the third Sgt. Stout battalion at Fort Cavazos, Texas, with additional battalions stationed in Germany and at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
In addition to the current SHORAD systems, the Army is advancing a version that incorporates a laser weapon, which is not yet a formal program of record but has been deployed for operational use in the U.S. Central Command theater. The ongoing effort also includes plans to replace the Stinger missile, with two competing teams working on this task.
The Army released a request for information (RFI) for a lighter SHORAD solution in the summer of 2024, aiming to finalize a directed requirement within the year. The RFI outlines the need for solutions capable of protecting dismounted maneuver forces and emphasizes the importance of systems that can be transported by C-130 aircraft, including those that can be airdropped or sling-loaded. These systems should also be able to engage small and large unmanned aircraft, helicopters, and fixed-wing close support aircraft.
The Pandur vehicle has a weight rating of approximately 20 tons, making it about 10 tons lighter than the Sgt. Stout, while still accommodating a vehicle commander, gunner, SHORAD operator, and robotic systems operator within its troop compartment. The Pandur SHORAD system is equipped with the same Moog RIP turret found on the Sgt. Stout and has also been integrated into GDLS’s robotic combat vehicle, TRX.
GDLS plans to showcase the Pandur at the Army’s Maneuver Fires Integrated Experiment (MFIX) at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, scheduled for July. The company has responded to the RFI with both the Pandur and 10-ton TRX options, with intentions for both vehicles to be operated in tandem during the MFIX event. While the Pandur was initially developed for the Austrian army, other countries, including Portugal, Belgium, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic, are also clients. GDLS previously built Pandur vehicles in Michigan in the mid-1990s and could potentially restart production if the Army decides on this option. Kendall Linson, a GDLS business development manager, expressed confidence that the Pandur would align well with counter-UAS capabilities due to its weight, utility, and survivability.
Jen Judson, an award-winning journalist, covers land warfare for Defense News and holds advanced degrees in journalism.
