XA-180

XA-180


In 1979, the Finnish Army issued technical specifications for a new armoured vehicle to replace the long-standing Soviet BTR-60PB in its ranks. The following year, two Finnish companies, Valmet and Sisu, were approached to develop new armoured personnel carriers, with the stipulation that the new (and tested) machines must be delivered by the summer of 1983. Valmet participated in the competition with the six-wheeled Type 1912-6, while Sisu participated with the Type XA-180. However, neither company was able to deliver its product on time (Sisu did not hand over the XA-180 to the army until 31 October 1983).


After undergoing extensive stress and comparison tests, the tender finally ended on 22 December in favour of Sisu, which was awarded the contract for the first 59 machines. The machines were received by the regular units of the Finnish Army as well as by units destined for UN missions in 1984. They saw their first live deployment in 1984, when they were assigned to a Finnish battalion operating within the UN force in the Golan Heights. Other Finnish missions under the UN banner involving XA-180s continued in Lebanon, Namibia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and most recently in Kosovo.


The XA-180 is a three-axle amphibious armoured vehicle with permanent all-wheel drive, the first two axles being steerable. The wheels of the chassis are equipped with a central inflation system. Michelin tyres have dimensions 14.00-20. The transporter's design has largely incorporated elements used in Sisu SA-150 trucks. In the front part of the welded hull (with a maximum wall thickness of 10 mm) sits the driver on the left and the commander on the right. Both have side doors as well as hatches with hatches on the top of the hull. Behind the commander's and driver's workstations on the left is the engine compartment equipped with a Valmet 611 power unit and an Allison MT 643 automatic transmission. The transporter is equipped with twin fuel tanks with a total capacity of 300 litres. The rear part of the vehicle is filled with space for a ten-man airborne crew, which has two benches located on the sides of the hull. Soldiers enter the transporter through the double doors at the rear of the hull. The left door also has a loophole with portholes. On the sides of the vehicle in the swarm compartment there are three gunports with portholes on each side. There are two hatches on the hull ceiling above the drop compartment and one hatch above the power unit. In the water, the XA-180 is propelled by a pair of propellers located at the stern of the hull. The vehicle can float, but not when fully loaded.


Based on experience from peacekeeping missions, XA-180 vehicles were equipped with NSV or DŠK-M gun turrets.


One of the users of the XA-180 version was the Irish Army, which ordered two of these vehicles. They were first delivered to the UN School at the Curragh, where their crews were introduced to them. This was followed by deployment under UN auspices in Lebanon. The vehicles were originally equipped with one Soviet-built machine gun in an open mount. After the death of one of the gunners during a sniper attack, it was decided to equip the vehicles with closed turrets from French Panhard M3 vehicles.



Users (all versions).


Sisu Defence (now Patria Vehicles), Finland



Verze
XA-180 - armoured personnel carrier, basic version for which the description and TTD apply
XA-180 SA - version with machine gun turret NSV
XA-180 YK - peacekeeping version with a machine gun DŠK-M and improved air conditioning
XA-181 - version with turret fitted with eight PLRS Crotale NG (see ItO 90 for more)
XA-185 - an upgraded version of the XA-180
XA-186 - version used by the Norwegian Army
XA-188 - a version with reinforced armour and a more powerful engine for the Dutch military
XA-200 - a new range of XA vehicles based on the XA-180
XA-201 - export version offered to the Danish army in a tender, not introduced into service
XA-202XA-202 - version with extended rear hull intended as a base for a command post, workshop or ambulance
XA-203 - an armoured personnel carrier from the XA-200 series
AMOS - a turret complete with a twin-barrel mortar that has been tested on the XA-185 and XA-203



Technicko-taktická data
Combat weight: 15,500 kg
Empty weight: 12 500 kg
Crew: 2 (commander and driver)
Landing party: 10


Dimensions:
- Length: 7 350 mm
- Width: 2 900 mm
- Height (version without gun turret): 2 300 mm
- ground clearance: 400 mm


Wadability: amphibious vehicle


Survivability: 1 m
Displacement: 0.6 m


Propulsion unit:
- Type: Valmet 611, six-cylinder turbodiesel
- Maximum power: 176 kW (236 hp)


Transmission:
- MT 643, automatic


Maximum speed:
- 105 km/h on the road.
- cruising: 10 km/h


Armament:
- No armament, possibly Tksp12.7 machine gun, DŠK-M or NSV, all 12.7 mm calibre

I would add one photo from Kosovo where you can see the drive in water

XA-180 EST


The Estonian Army took delivery (19 April 2005) of the first of sixty SISU 6x6 XA-180EST armoured personnel carriers ordered. The contract for their purchase from the Finnish Army's supernumerary armament, worth €7.2 million, was signed by Estonia at the end of 2004. The vehicles are undergoing gradual modernisation in Finland and the last one will be handed over to the Estonian Army at the end of 2007. There, they will complement and gradually replace around thirty BTR-60 and BTR-70 vehicles. Of the 60 transports, 51 will be modified into a basic variant designed to carry combat troops. It will be armed with a 12.7 mm calibre machine gun with a 1,000-round ammunition supply, mounted in the upper centre section of the vehicle. In addition to a two-man crew, the transport compartment has space for a 10-man landing party. The other vehicles will be configured into a medical version, three as liaison vehicles equipped with appropriate communications equipment and two as mobile command posts. The XA-180EST vehicles will form the armament of a mechanised battalion, which Estonia will be able to deploy to foreign missions if required.

Source.

XA-180 vehicle used in the UNDOF mission.

Slovenský kontingent na Golanoch - UNDOF


Position 32A (1. fotografia)(33°12'31.98"N 35°53'04.03"E)
Position 31 (3. fotografia)(33°15'34.03"N 35°51'20.10"E)


foto: OBRANA