Indonesia has replaced its aging Russian-built BTR-80A armored personnel carriers with Czech-made Pandur II 8×8 vehicles for its UN peacekeeping contingent in Lebanon.
The Indonesian Marine Corps’ fleet of twelve BTR-80As was recently brought back after 16 years deployed in the Middle East and is now stored at the 1st Marine Cavalry Regiment base in Jakarta. Their future is still unclear, with local reports suggesting they could be retired or transferred to another country, according to United24.
Indonesia originally purchased the BTR-80As in 2000, but a planned follow-on order of 20 units was canceled in favor of domestically producing the APS-3 Anoa 6×6. The BTR-80A, which entered Russian service in the mid-1990s, features a 30mm automatic cannon and a 7.62mm machine gun on an upgraded turret—a design that later influenced the BTR-82A.
Jakarta’s acquisition of Czech Pandur II vehicles was disclosed in 2020 and includes 23 units from Excalibur Army, part of the Czechoslovak Group. Kits manufactured by TATRA Defence Vehicle were shipped to Indonesia’s PT Pindad for final assembly.
The Czech Pandur II
The Pandur II is a 7-meter (24-foot) vehicle that can carry up to 12 personnel. Like the BTR-80A, it mounts a 30mm cannon and a 7.62mm machine gun but can also be outfitted with a 105mm high-pressure gun, a 12.7mm heavy machine gun, or anti-tank guided missiles.
A six-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine producing 455 horsepower enables speeds up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour and a range of 700 kilometers (435 miles).
