Bionix IFV - type 25 and type 40/50 introduction page 2


From ST Brochure
The power provided by the 475 hp Detroit Diesel engine to drive its 23 tonnes, ensures the Bionix is able to overcome the most difficult terrain. Future upgrades in horsepower ratings can be developed according to needs. (ST Brochure) The integrated power pack is mounted to the right of the vehicle and can be removed from the Bionix as a complete unit in under 15 minutes. The engine is coupled to the General Dynamics Defense Systems HMPT-500EC fully hydro mechanical transmission, with the final drives being provided by David Brown Defence Systems. The HMPT-500EC is the latest version of the company's HMPT-500 installed in the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
The cooling system has been designed by Galley with the radiator at the rear of the power pack compartment. The air inlet and outlet louvers are in the roof, with the exhaust pipe running through the hull on the right side and with the outlet on the right rear of the vehicle. (JIDR- By Christopher F Foss - 10/1999 issue)
From Business Times Made in Singapore : Armored Fighting Vehicles ASIAN AEROSPACE '98 A NEW range of armored fighting vehicles (AFV), designed and built in Singapore, will soon roll off the production lines at ST Automotive. ST Automotive president Wu Tze Chien told BT the latest AFV marques would include variants of the Bionix armored infantry fighting vehicle now in production for the Singapore Armed Forces. Its AFV project teams can also design and build tanks and armored gun systems. Asked if ST Automotive can draw on experience in developing the Bionix to create new AFVs, Mr. Wu said: "The short answer is yes. "Bionix has been specially designed and developed to meet the exact operational requirements of our customer. The M-113 armored personnel carrier and AMX-13 SM1 light tank upgrades are both excellent examples of our products meeting the exact operational requirements of our customer." The progress ST Automotive has made in AFV development surprised ill-informed observers who could not believe a Singapore company could design and build an armored vehicle from scratch. "Some thought ST Auto was simply assembling the vehicle from knocked-down kits and thought the Bionix was an offshoot from the M-113," said an industry source. "They were shocked and surprised when they found out how advanced the Programme was." ST Automotive's AFV project kicked off in January 1990, when XV1, its first experimental vehicle was assembled. When the Ministry of Defence ordered the Bionix in January 1995 after extensive trials, ST Automotive's AFV designers had successfully demonstrated that the Bionix could meet SAF specific operational requirements better than foreign vehicles like the American Bradley, Germany's Marder and AV90, the Warrior of UK and Sweden's CV90.
Mr. Wu said that the Bionix, which makes its international debut at Asian Aerospace '98, will be marketed overseas in the near future. "If so required and if the money is right, we will be prepared to tailor our current Bionix to that particular customer's requirements. "Given sufficient time and resources, we can do quite a bit to the vehicle. "In coming years, we will be busy producing the Bionix vehicle. Our engineers will be equally busy developing variants to fit specific operational roles such as the recovery and command variant. We will have a family of Bionix vehicles in the next few years." ST Automotive is also pursuing proof of concept studies in armored vehicle development. Mr. Wu said: "To remain relevant to our armed forces, we must always maintain currency with appropriate technologies. One sure way to maintain such currency is through experimentation and proof of concept studies." Mr. Wu said ST Automotive's engineers can draw valuable data from these studies as AFV design often calls for trade-offs between firepower, mobility and protection. "To find the right balance or to be able to improve one without compromising the others will continue to be our major preoccupation. Keeping the Bionix current and relevant will certainly be part of our daily commitment." (The Business Times - By David Boey - Feb 26th 1998)


From Others
The turret is of all-welded steel armor construction, with an additional layer of spaced passive armor added. The gunner sits on the right; the vehicle commander sits on the left, with both turret crew members being provided with a single piece hatch than opens to the rear that can be locked in the vertical position. main armament comprises the combat-proven stabilized Boeing M242 25mm dual-feed cannon, with a 7.62mm coaxial General Purpose Machine Gun mounted coaxial to the left and a similar weapon being mounted externally on the turret roof that can be used by either the commander or gunner with his head and shoulders exposed. Mounted either side of the turret is a bank of three 76mm electrically operated smoke grenade launchers firing forwards. The 25mm M242 cannon would be fire HEI and APFSDS ammunition, made under license from Oerlikon-Contraves by CIS. Turret traverse and weapon elevation is digital all-electric with either the gunner or commander able to lay and fire the weapons.

The gunner has a twin-control handles and a day/thermal sight, with a magnification of x8 and two fields of view ( high and low ), with stadia for the 25mm cannon and 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. The commander has an optical relay from the gunner's sight and a single control handle. The vehicle commander has a further five day periscopes to give observation to the turret front, left side and rear; the gunner has three periscopes to give observation to the right and rear. the gunner has the turret control box mounted to the right of his position and both turret-crew members have an adjustable seat. The communications equipment is installed in the turret bustle. (JIDR- By Christopher F Foss - 10/1999 issue)


From Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter
	The SAF chose Exercise Wallaby 97 to put its newest AFV through its paces. Designed, developed and manufactured by ST, the Bionix IFV is the first indigenous armored vehicle to be developed in South-East Asia. Both versions of the Bionix IFV were trialled under the rugged and demanding conditions of Australia's Shoalwater Bay Training Area. The Bionix IFV has a combat weight of 22.9 tonnes and a two-man turret mounting a fully stabilized Boeing M242 25mm canon and 7.62 coaxial machine gun. One 7.62mm and two 7.62 machine guns are flex mounted above the commander's station and rear troop compartment respectively. The troop compartment can carry seven troops. Prototype Bionix IFV's have been shown fitted with high-hardness-appliqué armor plates over all-welded steel hull and turret.
Powered by a Detroit Diesel 475 horsepower engine coupled to an automatic transmission, the vehicle also features an hydropneumatic suspension system. The Bionix IFV40/50 spots a one-man cupola mounting a 12.7 HMG and a 40mm AGL. At 21tonnes combat weight the IFV 40/50 carries 9 troops in addition to a crew of two. It is reported that the unit price is around $A3.6 million. (By Ian Bostock - Asia Pacific Defence Reporter February/March 1998 issue)

Introduction 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6	Bionix Specifications	Bionix Gallery 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5	Bionix 40/50 Gallery
ARV Spec and Gallery	AVLB Spec and Gallery	Primus Spec and Gallery	Other variants
IFV -others 1 - 2 - 3 - 4	1990 - 1992	1993 - 1995	1995 - 1997
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