Villkatt (AFV)

The Villkatt AFV is a tracked multi-role armoured fighting vehicle, developed by a joint ringeriker-sannlig consortium of Stålgilde Heavy Industries and Sannsystems AB, to replace older vehicles of the armies of Ringerike and Sannlibo. The development was performed parallel to the Villhund AFV.

The Villkatt is well designed as a modular vehicle family, although it does not feature exchangable mission modules like the Villhund. Also it reuses many components of the Stridsvagn Løve, while the engine and the transmission are taken from the Villhund.

Development
The Villhund AFV (Sannligs/Norsk: Stormpanserbil Villhund) was developed by a ringeriker-sannlig joint venture of Stålgilde Heavy Industries and Sannsystems AB. It was intended to mostly replace the ringeriker Panserinfanteriebil m/82 as well as the Panserrekonbil Hyæn and the Panserinfanteriebil Kojot of the sannlig forces. The Villhund was developed parallel to the Villkatt AFV, a tracked platform set to mostly replace the aging Stormpanservogn m/79. The parallel development of both platforms also came with several synergy effects.

In 2000 the sannlig government was eager to introduce a new modernization plan for its land forces, which included a refit of the Stridsvagn Løve as well as a tracked and an 8x8 platform to replace the aging Panter IFVs, Hyæn CRVs and the Kojot APCs. In 2002 Stålgilde Armor Works and Sannsystems AB's S²Amours began to design heavily upgraded variants of said vehicles, while Stålgilde Kinetics began to develop a new weapon system to be potentially operated on the next vehicle generation.

Based on the upgraded variants, which were designed previously, Stålgilde and Sannsystems build upgraded variants of the SPsV m/79 as well as the Hyæn and Kojot. Also a new wheeled vehicle was designed, based on a Hyæn driveline, while being fitted with a lengthened Kojot belly. For the m/79, the belly was fitted with improvements, coming from the Løve MBT. Both designs were fitted with a stronger armour, including under-belly protection against mines and IEDs, as well as add-on side armour. By that time Stålgilde Kinetics has finished the first example of the new 40mm CTA main weapon, fitted into a new clean-sheet designed turret. The vehicles with their new main weapons were first unveiled and presented in 2004.

In 2005 Stålgilde and Sannsystems were officially contracted with developing two new combat platforms by the ringeriker and sannlig governments. The contract also demanded the construction of technology demonstrators and prototypes in 2007 and 2008 respectively. The demonstrators were unveiled in late 2007, the prototypes finished development in early 2008. This was followed by an intensive testing phase, which has been concducted until 2011. In early 2010 both governemnts contracted Stålgilde and Sannsystems to deliver over 1000 Villhunds and Villhunds each. In late 2010 the first pre-serial examples were built and and later delivered to ringeriker and sannlig forces for further testing, but as well for exercising and training. Serial production was then began in 2012, with the first deliveries taking place in January 2013. Both vehicles were introduced into service of both armies by mid-2014.

Variants
The Stormpanserfordon Villkatt is the baseline variant of the Villkatt. It features several subvariants, being fitted for a wide variety of tasks. Stormpanserbil is also the sannlig translation for "Armoured Fighting Vehicle", Villkatt means "Wildcat".

The following variants have been introduced or are in development for the Sannlig Land Forces and Ringeriker Armed FOrces:

PsIF Villkatt
The Panserinfanteriebil Villkatt is one of the primary versions of the Villkatt being in Service with the sannlig land forces. It regularly features a 40mm CTA autocannon in a remote controlled turret of the SFV40 type. The belly also features space for up to eight dismounts.

PsIF-L Villkatt
The Panserinfanteriebil-Lett Villkatt is the APC variant of the Villkatt. It features a 20mm Autocannon as armament. Like the PsIF, the PsIF-L can carry up to eight dismounts in its belly.

PsRF Villkatt
The Panserrekonbil Villkatt is a reconaissance version of the SpB, also featuring a 40mm CTA autocannon, however the turret is a manned SBV40. It carries additional lenses, sensors and radars for recon duties and can also carry a recon troop of four soldiers in the belly.

PsRF-L Villkatt
The Panserrekonfordon-Lett Villkatt is variant of the standard PsRF with a 20mm RCWS similar to the PsIF-L. Like the PsRF, it carries additional lenses, sensors and radars for recon duties and can also carry a recon troop of four soldiers in the belly.

PsLF Villkatt
The Panserluftvernfordon is the sannlig variant of the Luftjeger m/18V, fitted with a Luftvernsystem m/18 SHORAD suite, consisting of a 40mm CTA autocannon and a box launcher for LvM m/2005 SACLOS Surface to Air missiles.

PsJF Villkatt
The Panserjægerfordon Villkatt is equipped with the Panservernsystem m/15. The sannlig version features the Panservernmissil 20 Anti-Tank/Anti-Structure Guided-Missile in the standard as well as the extended range and non-line-of-sight variants. In addition the PsJB are also adapted to launch loitering munition.

PsBK Villkatt
The Panserbombekaster Villkatt is the sannlig variant of the Panserbombekaster m/14V. It features a 120m mortar in the belly, which fires through the opened roof.

IPsF15 Villkatt
The Ingeniørpanserfordon 15 Villkatt is an engineering variant, featuring an excavation arm, obstacle markers as well as either a mine roller or a dozer blade in the front, used to remove obstacles and fulfill other engineering tasks.

BPsF15 Villkatt
Bergningspanserfordon 15 Villkatt is an armoured recovery variant, featuring a crane arm, a heavy winch as well as a front-mounted dozer blade to stabilise the vehicle.

Operators
 Sannlibo:
 * Sannlig Land Forces - 870 Units have been ordered and delivered to the Sannlig Forces. Introduction into service between 2014 and 2020. The vehicles are to be used in the Land Forces' and will form the basement of up to four brigades.