Bionix AFV

History

The Bionix series was designed and developed to replace the ubiquitous but aging line of American M113 infantry fighting vehicles. The M113 is in heavy service, but is still a 1950s design and its era is largely over. In the 1980s, Singapore's Ministry of Defence launched an internal initiative to find an eventual replacement to complement Singapore's more modern and mobile army.

Some foreign potential clients were entertained, but the authorities ultimately opted for an in-house solution to meet the very specific requirements of the Singapore Army. Design work on the new armoured fighting vehicle began in 1988, using the ST Kinetics brand label, with the aim of making the base chassis the basis for other battlefield-specific mounts. After completing and testing several evaluation vehicles, the first Bionix systems began production in 1996, officially joined the Singapore Army in 1997, and reached operational levels in 1999. Production continues today under the ST Engineering brand.

Despite being advertised as a Singaporean design, the Bionix series uses a number of Western components, including the main weapon and engine.

The base-produced Bionix is ??classified as an "Infantry Fighting Vehicle" (IFV), which has become the standard modern military vehicle used worldwide to bring infantry personnel to the front lines and provide subsequent fire support for troop deployments. Therefore, infantry fighting vehicles are generally better equipped and better armored than normal armored personnel carriers (APCs), but not as good as main battle tanks (MBTs).

Using the same chassis for other "RPG" types on the battlefield is an economical solution and a logistically friendly end product. So the Singapore Army was happy to receive hundreds of these vehicles, and in return they also adopted certain mission-oriented versions.

While no exaggeration, Bionix is ??an important domestic initiative for the future of the armed forces in Singapore and throughout Southeast Asia - a region of the world that has in recent history relied heavily on the procurement of such weapons from the US, Soviet Union, France, Germany and the UK, among others Vehicles of world powers.

Compared to modern armored fighting vehicles, the design of the Bionix is ??very traditional. The system uses a sprocket arrangement with six rubber twin-tire wheels on one side of the chain, with the drive sprocket at the front and the chain idler at the rear. Three track return rollers are specified. The suspension is hydropneumatic in nature for excellent off-road capability. The glacis panels are nicely sloped to almost vertical, helping with ballistic protection while promoting a lower profile.

The rider maintains a left front position in the front fuselage with the power pack to his right. The sides of the fuselage are vertical and the top of the fuselage is flat. The turret (if any) is mounted in the center of the top of the vehicle's fuselage and houses heavy weapons. The turret itself is "ballistic friendly" as it has many angles of inclination, especially along its front fairing.

The fighting compartment - or passenger compartment - is located in the stern of the vehicle. The Bionix was not designed to be amphibious in nature, so it had to be modified.

The Bionix range is powered by an American Detroit Diesel 6V 92TA diesel engine making 475 hp, but installing a turbo booster boosts the output to 550 hp. The power pack can reach a top speed of nearly 43 mph and has a range of 250 miles - capable of keeping up with other mechanized forces on the mobile front. The Bionix base weighed 25 tons and had a barrel length of over 19 feet.

She is reported to be 8ft 6in tall with an 8ft 10in wingspan. Her standard combat crew consists of a driver, gunner, and vehicle commander, and her fighting bay holds seven combat-ready infantrymen. Passengers enter and exit via a rectangular power ramp at the rear.

Defenses include six smoke grenade launchers (in groups of three if equipped) along the sides of the turret, as well as composite MEXAS (Modular Extensible Armor System) protection.

The Bionix launcher first appeared on three experimental vehicles called "XV1", "XV2" and "XV3", released in early 1990, late 1990 and early 1991, respectively. These vehicles are used to demonstrate that certain mechanical, technological and weapons technical arrangements are achievable in the new overall design.

These pilot vehicles can then be completed in a pre-production form suitable for assessment by the Singapore Defence Force. In total, nine evaluation cars will be produced.

The "Bionix 25" became the first production model and the first of its kind to be manufactured locally anywhere in Southeast Asia. The specimens feature a movable turret armed with a 25mm Bushmaster M242 series automatic cannon (manufactured by ATK Gun Systems) and are supported by a pair of 7.62mm machine guns - one coaxial, the other agile mounted atop the tower on the mount. A third 7.62mm machine gun system can be mounted above the rear boarding/exit ramp to cover infantry. Deliveries of about 300 cars began in September 1997.

The "Bionix 40/50" is similar in form, scope and function to the previous Bionix 25. A notable feature of this type is the addition of a new, proprietary weapon station cupola that can accommodate a 40mm automatic grenade launcher or a 12.7mm heavy machine gun for enhanced offensive and suppression capabilities.

According to reports, the Bionix 40/50 can also carry 11 passengers.

The "Bionix II" followed in 2006 as an upgraded form of the original armored fighting vehicle. This includes improved overall armor protection for occupants and critical onboard systems (including attention to mine protection), upgraded communications and digital shared suites, upgraded aiming equipment and firing services, higher capacity 30mm Jungle II series cannons and laser detection distance meter.

These changes make Bionix AFV a more robust and robust platform.

Battlefield-specific roles were then developed for the Bionix chassis, including pioneer vehicles, bridge workers, and special "anti-mine" vehicles. The technical bracket is called Bionix ARV (ARV = Armored Rescue Vehicle), while the bridging layer is the Bionix AVLB (AVLB = Armored Vehicle Launch Bridge). The former is easily identifiable by its integrated winch and crane system, which helps clear debris and wrecked vehicles from the battlefield. The latter erected a 72-foot-tall steel bridge suitable for crossing ditches and streams for the passage of mechanized formations. This shape is also easily recognizable by the folding bridge system on the basic Bionix frame.

The anti-mine vehicle version is aptly named "Trailblazer" and is equipped with flails to detonate mines before advancing mechanized troops. This vehicle is very different from all other products in the Bionix range, with a tall, sturdy appearance designed to withstand mine blasts.

The "Infantry Carrier Vehicle" (IVC) is a proposed Bionix-based tracked system intended as a light armored vehicle that can be transported by air. It is equipped with a remote weapons station with a 40mm automatic grenade launcher, and a machine gun that allows firing all weapons from the turret.

However, the type was not selected for serial production, but the full-fledged American wheeled armored vehicle Stryker was introduced.

Ultimately, the main battle tank form was considered, with a powerful 105mm or 120mm main gun system. Testing of these guns resulted in them being installed in multiple turret options, but the overall design has been scrapped due to the Indonesian government's decision to temporarily procure used German Leopard 2A4 tanks.

At the time of writing, the potential Bionix MBT has yet to evolve.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

650 x 25mm bullet

550 x 30mm shells

400 x 40mm shells

2,000 x 7.62mm ammo

600 x 12.7mm ammo

6 x Smoke Grenade

Changes