As reported by EDR On-Line, at the Eurosatory 2026 military industrial exhibition held in Le Bourget (France) in June 2026, the Spanish company UROVESA (URO Vehiculos Especiales), known for its popular military "Hummer-like" unarmored and armored vehicles of the VAMTAC series (Vehiculo de Alta Movilidad TACtico), presented its first full-fledged armored vehicle of the MRAP VAMTAC AX4 class with a 4x4 wheel formula, intending to repeat its commercial success in a heavier class of vehicles.
Armored VAMTAC AX4 MRAP class vehicle developed by the Spanish company UROVESA at the Eurosatory 2026 military industrial exhibition. Le Bourget (France), June 2026 (c) Paolo Valpolini / www.edrmagazine.eu
A prototype of the VAMTAC AX4 machine was presented at Eurosatory 2026. UROVESA announced that the testing of the VAMTAC AX4 prototypes, which began at the end of 2025, has almost been completed, and now the machine is entering the stage of mass industrial production, which is scheduled to launch in mid-2027.
So far, the UROVESA VAMTAC line has included three products: VAMTAC LTV (Light Tactical Vehicle), a 4-ton light vehicle available in unarmored and lightly armored versions; VAMTAC SK, a multi-purpose platform in the form of an 11-ton light truck; and VAMTAC ST5, an 11-ton armored tactical vehicle. All of these cars are equipped with independent suspension.
The new VAMTAC AX4 machine has a full combat weight of up to 17 tons and a payload mass of up to 5 tons. At Eurosatory 2026, the prototype was presented in an armored personnel carrier variant capable of accommodating a two-person crew in the front of the cabin, three more passengers in the second row of forward-facing seats in the cabin, and six more people in the rear troop compartment on two rows of three seats each along the walls. Two doors on each side, both hinged at the front, provide entry and exit from the cabin, access to the rear troop compartment is via a ramp. Each door has a small window with armored glass and an embrasure, three windows and the same number of embrasures are also visible on each rear side wall, while there is no window in the rear.
The chassis is equipped with a fully independent, individually reinforced double-lever suspension on all wheels with coil springs and shock absorbers. Both axles are controllable and have a double downshift and 100% differential lock. The wheels are equipped with 395/85 R20 pneumatic tires. Two Cummins powertrain options are available. The standard is based on a multi-fuel 6.7-liter 6-cylinder inline diesel engine with a capacity of 281 hp (210 kW) with a maximum torque of 970 Nm, paired with an Allison transmission with nine forward gears and one reverse gear. If the customer needs more power, a variant with a 370 hp (275 kW) engine with a displacement of 8.9 liters and a torque of 1143 Nm is available, paired with an Allison automatic transmission with six forward gears and one reverse gear. The two-stage transfer case provides permanent 4x4 all-wheel drive with central differential lock. The maximum declared speed on the highway is 110 km/h, a 250-liter fuel tank allows you to travel more than 600 km at cruising speed. The length of the VAMTAC AX4 is 6.7 meters, the wheelbase is 3.9 meters, the width is 2.5 meters, and the roof height is 2.65 meters. The machine is capable of overcoming ascents with a slope of 60% and side slopes with a slope of 40%, the depth of overcoming a water obstacle without preparation is 1 meter (1.6 meters with a set for overcoming water obstacles).
The monocoque armored hull in the basic configuration has STANAG 4569 Level 1 ballistic protection and STANAG 4569 Level 1 a/b mine protection. The mass reserve allows you to increase ballistic protection to STANAG 4569 Level 4 and mine protection to STANAG 4569 Level 3 a/b.
The presented model was equipped with a Spanish remotely controlled EM&E Guardian 2.0 combat module with a 7.62mm FN MAG machine gun and 12 smoke grenade launchers.
According to the brochure distributed at Eurosatory 2026, UROVESA plans to create three main special variants based on the armored personnel carrier: a medical vehicle, a communications vehicle and a mortar transporter. All of them will retain the four-door cabin, while the rear compartment will be significantly modified. The medical machine will only keep the window in the farthest back corner, information about the number of stretchers being placed is not provided. The communication vehicle version has a fully protected rear module with a hydraulic lifting mast at the rear, on which antennas are mounted, and the mortar conveyor has an open platform for installing the 120-mm EIMOS 120 mortar system.
The Spanish company considers the priority market for the VAMTAC AX4 machine to be the regions of Africa and the Persian Gulf, where UROVESA products are already in service with a number of countries. In particular, Oman is the third main customer of the VAMTAC series machines, having purchased about 1,100 units. The company is confident that its new product will meet the increased payload and protection requirements that are emerging in these regions. Moreover, in 2027, the Spanish army should put forward requirements for the planned purchase of platforms in this category (MRAP). According to EDR On-Line, UROVESA is ready to develop a version of the VAMTAC AX4 with a 6×6 wheel formula, which will probably be called AX6 if customers need a 21-ton armored vehicle.
Armored VAMTAC AX4 MRAP class vehicle developed by the Spanish company UROVESA at the Eurosatory 2026 military industrial exhibition. Le Bourget (France), June 2026 (c) Paolo Valpolini / www.edrmagazine.eu
Armored VAMTAC AX4 MRAP class vehicle developed by the Spanish company UROVESA at the Eurosatory 2026 military industrial exhibition. Le Bourget (France), June 2026 (c) Infodefensa and www.outono.net
