Sp.KFz-338 Piton
| Sp.KFz-338 Piton | |
|---|---|
 Granzerian Piton armed with a HMG remote weapon station | |
| Type | Armoured personnel carrier |
| Place of origin | Granzery |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2001–present |
| Used by | See Operators below |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 16,000 to 27,000 kg (35,000 to 60,000 lb) |
| Length | 7.7 m (25 ft) |
| Width | 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) |
| Height | 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) |
| Main armament |
Up to 120mm gun or twin 120mm mortars in turret |
| Engine | NK 12 Csába Diesel 405 kW (543 hp) or 360 kW (480 hp) |
| Power/weight | 15.6 kW/t (21.2 PS/t) (max weight), 25.3 kW/t (34.4 PS/t) (min weight) |
| Suspension | 8×8 wheeled independent hydropneumatic suspension |
| Operational range |
600–850 km (370–530 mi) |
| Speed | over 100 km/h (60 mph) on land up to 10 km/h (6.2 mph) in water |
The Speciális .Katonai Fejrész-338, Piton (English: Special Military Vehicle-338, Python) is an 8×8 multi-role military vehicle produced jointly by the Granzerian defence industry companies FÉMC and Csába.
The main feature of the Piton is its modular design, which allows the incorporation of different turrets, weapons, sensors, or communications systems on the same carriage. Designs exist for different APC vehicles (armoured personnel carrier) and IFV versions (infantry fighting vehicle), communications versions, ambulances and different fire support versions, armed with large caliber mortar and gun systems. The vehicle has a very good level of mine protection and can withstand explosions of up to 10 kilograms (22 lb) TNT. The Piton has protection levels up to 30 mm APFSDS frontal arc. Another important feature is the very good mobility (combining speed, agility, and crew comfort) in rough terrain, enabled by the sophisticated but rugged hydropneumatic suspension adjusting each wheel individually.
The Piton is the primary armoured transporter of Granzerian armoured regiments, and by 2025 is expected to be the primary APC of the Granzerian military alongside the Sp.KFz-380 Árpád, which is the primary armoured transporter of Granzerian infantry regiments.
History[edit]
Versions[edit]
Sp.KFz-338 Piton (first version)[edit]
The Piton is offered in three main variants: a basic platform, a high roof platform and a heavy weapon platform.
- The Sp.KFz-338A basic platform includes APC, IFV, C2, ambulance, reconnaissance, mortar carrier, FCV, ATGM and MGS vehicles. The basic platform can also be provided as an extended platform with increased internal volume.
- The Sp.KFz-338M high roof platform features a larger and higher rear compartment, which allows more space-requiring work to be done inside the vehicle. The 338M is suitable for C3, large ambulance and workshop vehicles.
- The Sp.KFz-338N heavy weapon platform features a stronger structure, enabling the fitting of heavy weapon systems e.g. Sp.KFz-322 Csillaghullás 120 mm mortar turret or Mobile Gun System.