Recent from talks
AEV 3 Kodiak
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
AEV 3 Kodiak
The AEV 3 Kodiak is a Leopard 2 main battle tank (MBT) based armoured engineering vehicle that can be used for a wide variety of battlefield engineering, infrastructure and support roles. These roles can include, but would not be limited to, minefield breaching, route denial, dozing and digging tasks, and the erection or demolition of obstacles. The vehicle was originally developed for a Swiss Army requirement by the consortium of Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH (Germany) and RUAG Defence (Switzerland).
English nomenclature for the vehicle is now AEV 3 Kodiak, while German is Pionierpanzer 3 (PiPz 3) Kodiak. Depending on user or reference source the AEV 3 Kodiak may also be referred to as Gepanzerte Pioniermaschine Kodiak, AEBV (Armoured Engineering and Breaching Vehicle), Armoured Engineer Vehicle 3 Kodiak, Ingenjörbandvagn 120, or the L2-AEV.
Development of the AEV 3 Kodiak traces back to 2002 and the Swiss Army's Armoured Engineer Vehicle 3 requirement. As a technology partner of the Swiss Army, RUAG Defence entered into a consortium with Rheinmetall Landsysteme, Rheinmetall (with Krauss-Maffei Wegmann) joint-manufacturers of the Leopard 2 main battle tank (MBT) on which the AEV 3 Kodiak is based. The name Kodiak was adopted for the Armoured Engineer Vehicle 3 during development for future marketing purposes only.
The first Armoured Engineer Vehicle 3 prototype for the Swiss Army was constructed using company funds and was based on a surplus Swiss Army Leopard 2 MBT, the Leopard 2 designated Panzer 87 by the Swiss. In the summer of 2003 the prototype underwent two months of trials with the Swiss Army, and during 2004 it was shown at the Eurosatory defence exhibition in Paris. Following this showing the prototype underwent a series of trials with Leopard 2 MBT users Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. The Swedish trials involved leasing the prototype to the Swedish armed forces procurement agency (FMV, Försvarets materielverk) for winter trials. Following these trials results were shared with the International AEV Coordination Group which had been established to develop some commonality within armoured engineering vehicle requirements and programs. At this juncture the group consisted of Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden Switzerland. Spain and Denmark would ultimately leave the group.
On 9 January 2007, Rheinmetall announced a Swiss Army contract award for 12 Armoured Engineer Vehicle 3 valued at CHF 95 million (US$76 million). The twelve Leopard 2 chassis used came from Swiss Army stocks with turrets removed and construction occurred in Switzerland. By late 2011 the last example had been delivered and the vehicles are used by the Swiss Army's Panzersappeurbataillon 11.
The next customers for AEV 3 Kodiak would be the Netherlands and Sweden in a joint purchase. Since 2001 and to reduce costs Sweden had attempted collaborations with Switzerland and Denmark without success and in 2005 would commence lone procurement of an armoured engineering vehicle. The Netherlands joined the Swedish project in 2006. On 16 January 2008, Sweden and the Netherlands placed a joint order for 16 vehicles, six for Sweden and ten for the Netherlands. Contract value was around €40 million (Sweden) and €60 million (the Netherlands). Delivery occurred between 2011 and 2012.
Swedish vehicles are known as AEV 3 S (Swedish), or locally as the Ingenjörbandvagn 120, and are based on six Swedish Army Leopard 2 chassis (Stridsvagn 121 in Swedish service) chassis. The chassis were upgraded locally to Stridsvagn 122 standard and then transported to Germany for conversion. The Netherlands vehicles are based on Leopard 2A4 chassis. These were overhauled locally before being converted in Germany. In service the Dutch vehicles replaced fourteen Leopard 1 engineering vehicles. Swedish and Dutch vehicles reportedly share 95% commonality with differences limited to camouflage patterns, smoke grenade launchers, and some tools/equipment. The Dutch vehicles do feature a bomblet protection package.
Singapore has a total of fourteen AEV 3 Kodiaks (known locally as L2-AEV), these ordered and delivered in between 2014 and 2015. In service these are operated by the 38th Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers (38 SCE), and replaced the US-built M728 CEV.
Hub AI
AEV 3 Kodiak AI simulator
(@AEV 3 Kodiak_simulator)
AEV 3 Kodiak
The AEV 3 Kodiak is a Leopard 2 main battle tank (MBT) based armoured engineering vehicle that can be used for a wide variety of battlefield engineering, infrastructure and support roles. These roles can include, but would not be limited to, minefield breaching, route denial, dozing and digging tasks, and the erection or demolition of obstacles. The vehicle was originally developed for a Swiss Army requirement by the consortium of Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH (Germany) and RUAG Defence (Switzerland).
English nomenclature for the vehicle is now AEV 3 Kodiak, while German is Pionierpanzer 3 (PiPz 3) Kodiak. Depending on user or reference source the AEV 3 Kodiak may also be referred to as Gepanzerte Pioniermaschine Kodiak, AEBV (Armoured Engineering and Breaching Vehicle), Armoured Engineer Vehicle 3 Kodiak, Ingenjörbandvagn 120, or the L2-AEV.
Development of the AEV 3 Kodiak traces back to 2002 and the Swiss Army's Armoured Engineer Vehicle 3 requirement. As a technology partner of the Swiss Army, RUAG Defence entered into a consortium with Rheinmetall Landsysteme, Rheinmetall (with Krauss-Maffei Wegmann) joint-manufacturers of the Leopard 2 main battle tank (MBT) on which the AEV 3 Kodiak is based. The name Kodiak was adopted for the Armoured Engineer Vehicle 3 during development for future marketing purposes only.
The first Armoured Engineer Vehicle 3 prototype for the Swiss Army was constructed using company funds and was based on a surplus Swiss Army Leopard 2 MBT, the Leopard 2 designated Panzer 87 by the Swiss. In the summer of 2003 the prototype underwent two months of trials with the Swiss Army, and during 2004 it was shown at the Eurosatory defence exhibition in Paris. Following this showing the prototype underwent a series of trials with Leopard 2 MBT users Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. The Swedish trials involved leasing the prototype to the Swedish armed forces procurement agency (FMV, Försvarets materielverk) for winter trials. Following these trials results were shared with the International AEV Coordination Group which had been established to develop some commonality within armoured engineering vehicle requirements and programs. At this juncture the group consisted of Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden Switzerland. Spain and Denmark would ultimately leave the group.
On 9 January 2007, Rheinmetall announced a Swiss Army contract award for 12 Armoured Engineer Vehicle 3 valued at CHF 95 million (US$76 million). The twelve Leopard 2 chassis used came from Swiss Army stocks with turrets removed and construction occurred in Switzerland. By late 2011 the last example had been delivered and the vehicles are used by the Swiss Army's Panzersappeurbataillon 11.
The next customers for AEV 3 Kodiak would be the Netherlands and Sweden in a joint purchase. Since 2001 and to reduce costs Sweden had attempted collaborations with Switzerland and Denmark without success and in 2005 would commence lone procurement of an armoured engineering vehicle. The Netherlands joined the Swedish project in 2006. On 16 January 2008, Sweden and the Netherlands placed a joint order for 16 vehicles, six for Sweden and ten for the Netherlands. Contract value was around €40 million (Sweden) and €60 million (the Netherlands). Delivery occurred between 2011 and 2012.
Swedish vehicles are known as AEV 3 S (Swedish), or locally as the Ingenjörbandvagn 120, and are based on six Swedish Army Leopard 2 chassis (Stridsvagn 121 in Swedish service) chassis. The chassis were upgraded locally to Stridsvagn 122 standard and then transported to Germany for conversion. The Netherlands vehicles are based on Leopard 2A4 chassis. These were overhauled locally before being converted in Germany. In service the Dutch vehicles replaced fourteen Leopard 1 engineering vehicles. Swedish and Dutch vehicles reportedly share 95% commonality with differences limited to camouflage patterns, smoke grenade launchers, and some tools/equipment. The Dutch vehicles do feature a bomblet protection package.
Singapore has a total of fourteen AEV 3 Kodiaks (known locally as L2-AEV), these ordered and delivered in between 2014 and 2015. In service these are operated by the 38th Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers (38 SCE), and replaced the US-built M728 CEV.
Recent media