General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) is a business unit of General Dynamics Corporation, at home in seven countries across Europe: Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Romania, and the Czech Republic. GDELS develops, manufactures and maintains wheeled and tracked vehicles, bridge systems, and artillery.
Headquartered in Madrid, GDELS was formed in 2003. Its national business units have many decades of engineering experience, with a heritage dating back to the 19th and early 20th centuries and even as far as 1540. Today, the company employs some 2,400 highly skilled and motivated people, the vast majority of them in production and R&D. More than fifty countries around the globe rely on GDELS’ military mobility solutions for their police and armed forces, making it one of the European leaders in the land combat systems sector.
Family of mine-protected vehicles with highest mobility
The EAGLE family is based on the advanced 4×4 and 6×6 chassis technology of the DURO light tactical transport vehicle. Almost 6,000 DURO and EAGLE units are fielded worldwide.
The EAGLE offers a high level of commonality within the GDELS fleet of light tactical vehicles. The military off-the-shelf product features very high payload versus low gross vehicle weight, best-in-class protection level, and provides exceptional mobility.
Using cutting-edge technologies and innovative concepts in the design of the crew cell and its mission modules, the EAGLE has set a new survivability standard for light tactical vehicles. It includes certified and proven protection against mine, improvised explosive device (IED) and ballistic threats. The modularity of the vehicle allows it to be adapted to new threats encountered in-theatre.
With the EAGLE 6×6, the family ranges up to a 15-ton, MRAP-type, highly protected 6×6 armored personnel carrier for up to 2 crew members and 9 passengers and with outstanding growth potential.
By using one platform covering all needs, the EAGLE family reduces through life support cost of the entire fleet. The versatility and modularity allows for the optimum balance between
strategic mobility, weight and protection, as well as tactical and operational mobility, modularity and flexibility. The EAGLE is the vehicle of choice for a multitude of missions without any constraint: offensive, defensive, security, and assistance.
GDELS’ light tactical vehicle portfolio has been extended with the launch of MERLIN at Eurosatory 2022: MERLIN is a compact, robust 4×4 tailored to the needs of light infantry, airborne and special operations forces. Based upon the DURO/EAGLE family, it shares the same level of modularity.
Multi-role armored vehicles for stabilization and the battlefield
The PIRANHA family of vehicles offers the features and performance required of a modern, multi-role wheeled armored vehicle. It is well-suited to practically any battlefield and peace enforcement or stabilization role anywhere in the world. Variants include infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), armored personnel carriers, and command & control.
The PIRANHA follows a modular family approach with identical features throughout all vehicle versions. It offers a payload versus gross vehicle weight ratio which is unrivalled on today’s vehicle market. The PIRANHA has been developed to take advantage of the latest technologies to deliver class-leading survivability, capacity, and mobility, with low through-life costs and inherent growth capacity. It is the best protected 8×8 vehicle available, including next-generation protection against conventional and asymmetric threats (mine, IED and ballistic protection).
PIRANHA vehicles also offer an extraordinary level of cross-country mobility thanks to their suspension in combination with a high output power pack, fourth-axle steering, and integrated driver support systems. These ensure the highest level of terrain accessibility and the best agility.
PANDUR EVO is a compact, multi-role wheeled armored vehicle with flexible interior concept, adaptable to different mission scenarios. It is available in 6×6 and 8×8, with optional amphibious capability. The combat proven PANDUR concept unites simple operation, high availability and easy maintenance.
The STANAG-certified ballistic, mine and IED protection of the PANDUR EVO extends to the major automotive components, protected inside the armored steel hull. Additional options include protection against rocket propelled grenades and active protection systems. A high
performance powerpack, independent single wheel suspension and differentials with automatic drivetrain management control and 100% locking capability ensure exceptional mobility.
Resilient and adaptable tracked armored fighting vehicles
The ASCOD family is the perfect answer to the changing tactical challenges for medium weight armored vehicles. Variants include the latest versions of the PIZARRO and ULAN IFVs in service in Spain and Austria, the AJAX family currently under production for the UK, as well as 105 and 120mm light and medium tanks and specialist vehicles for support roles.
ASCOD is an affordable state-of-the-art modular vehicle that can serve different mission roles on one common base platform, ready for decisive action, air transportable, with a high power-to-weight ratio, best-in-class protection, and further growth potential in terms of mobility, fire power and survivability.
Floating and dry-gap bridge systems
GDELS-Bridge Systems’ leading position on the market has been determined by amphibious vehicles, floating and dry-gap bridge systems, tailored to meet the technical and operational requirements of its users. Bridges systems from GDELS are currently in use in more than 20 countries.
For decades, GDELS’ floating bridges – M3, IRB and their predecessors – have clearly set the standard in NATO and abroad. The portfolio of vehicle-launched bridges reaches from the 22-meter, MLC 80+ ANACONDA – an improved variant of the widely used BEAVER AVLB – to highly modular, lightweight bridges of different lengths and load classifications, which constitute an invaluable mobility asset for medium forces. Furthermore, loading ramps for railway transport of wheeled and tracked vehicles are manufactured, granting logisticians greater independence from fixed infrastructure.
Artillery center of excellence
With Santa Bárbara Sistemas, GDELS has a world-class center of excellence in the artillery field. The fourth functional division of GDELS manufactures and maintains the towed 155/52 SIAC howitzer, which is in service with the Spanish and other international armed forces, as
well as components for artillery systems. Innovative, medium-weight self-propelled solutions on wheeled and tracked platforms are on offer.
Industry-leading customer service
GDELS is famous not only for top-quality bridge systems, wheeled and tracked vehicles, but also for industry-leading product and customer service with an emphasis on reliability, flexibility, and efficiency.
GDELS’ Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) is customized to the individual requirements of the customer-specific mission profile. Experienced and trained staff ensure professional support both during the procurement phase and in operation and deployment – in the home country and abroad. The certified repair and maintenance business extends beyond GDELS-made systems to vehicles and equipment produced by other manufacturers.
