Leonidas 1 APCAt the DEFEA 2025 defense exhibition in Athens, the Greek company EODH presented a modified Leonidas 1 armored personnel carrier equipped with a remotely controlled HWS Tyr 25/30 combat module. This is another attempt to give a second life to an outdated armored platform in service with the country's army.
This combat installation is manufactured by the Slovenian defense company Valhalla and can be equipped with a 25- or 30-mm cannon with an appropriate range of 2500 or 3000 m. Optionally, the module can accommodate a twin machine gun, Spike LR2 or AKERON MP ATGM, a launcher for barrage ammunition or short-range anti-aircraft missiles.
Leonidas 1 with HWS Tyr 25/30 from ValhallaThe modernization of the Leonidas 1 includes, among other things, equipment with a new 360 hp CAT C7.2 engine, the installation of a new generation of composite armor with the 5th level of ballistic protection according to the STANAG 4569 standard (withstands hits from 25 mm BPS and BOPTS), improved mine protection of the vehicle and the placement of anti-vibration seats, improved electronic systems and implementation of the digital network.
The Leonidas APC is a licensed version of the Austrian Saurer 4K 7FA armored vehicle. It was produced by Steyr Hellas S.A. (later renamed ELVO) from 1981 to 2001. In 1981, two prototypes were delivered from Austria, and then 100 machines were assembled in Greece. The Leonidas I was equipped with a 320 hp Steyr 7FA engine and had a combat weight of 14.8 tons. An improved version of the Leonidas II was introduced in 1987. In total, about 700 units were produced.
