Irish Army SISU XA-180 6x6 APC in use

Two Finnish-built SISU XA-180 6x6 APCs have served with the Irish Army’s Cavalry Corps since 1991. The two were deployed in Somalia in 1994 in support of Irish soldiers serving with UNOSOM II. Until the arrival of the MOWAG Piranha IIIH 8x8 APC in June 2001, these two SISU were the only modern APCs serving with the Irish Defence forces. From 1989 to 2001 Irish soldiers serving in Lebanon with UNIFIL were equipped with ten UN-supplied SISU XA-180s.

Video by Karl Martin. Photos by Karl Martin, Joe Hayes and IRISHBATT.

Music: “The March of the King of Laois”. Traditional air, specially arranged and performed by Jeff Cramer (guitar) and Ian Fisher (violin).

SISU XA-180 specification:
The SISU was designed as a replacement for the Russian-made BTR 60 8x8 in Finnish service. It bears a resemblance to the German-built TPZI FUCHS 6x6 armoured general purpose carrier. Aside from the SISU’s good cross-country performance, it boasts an excellent amphibious capability and manoeuvrability on lakes and in slow-moving rivers. In Irish service the rear propellers are not fitted and the vehicles have never been used on water. The engine and drivetrain are derived from a well-proven SISU 4x4 truck and ensure that the the APC is very reliable, easy to work on and relatively cheap to maintain.
Powered by a Valmet 611 DSBJ six-cylinder in-line turbocharged aftercooled diesel engine producing 236 bhp @ 2,500 rpm. Alison MT 643 automatic gearbox with TL380 torque converter. SISU axles with hub reduction and differential lock. Permanent 6-wheel drive. Leaf spring suspension. Max. speed 100 km/h. Overall length 7,390mm. Overall height (to roof) 2,650mm. Width 2,900mm. Mitchelin 14.00 – 20 tyres.

SISU XA-180 6x6 APC in Irish service.

Lebanon:
In 1989 the UN supplied the Irish UNIFIL Battalion with ten Finnish-built SISU XA-180 APCs as replacements for 14 obsolete Panhard M3 APCs used until then.
Initially each of the ten UN-supplied SISU APCs was armed with a Polish-made NSV 12.7mm HMG but this was later replaced by a .5 inch Browning QCB HMG. In 1993/’94 an ex-Panhard M3 Creusot-Loire TL.2.1.80 turret was mounted on each SISU instead. A pintle mounted 7.62mm MAG 80 was also provided for the vehicle commander who sits in the front compartment on the right. However, this pintle mounting was very exposed. The driver sits on the left and has very restricted vision to the right. As a result, when negotiating narrow lanes etc. the commander has to help guide him. A narrow corridor connects the front and rear compartments. The latter has two roof hatches and bench seats for four persons down each side. The engine is located between the two compartments. In Lebanon a drawback was the lack of air conditioning for the crew.

Purchase of two SISU APCs:
Two SISU XA-180, reg. nos. 91 D 2347 and 2350, were purchased in 1990 for the Irish Cavalry Corps. These vehicles were based in the Curragh Camp in County Kildare and employed up to 2001 for training crews, fitters and infantry prior to their departure for six-month tours with UNIFIL.

Irish SISU APCs in Somalia:
In August 1993 the 1st Transport Coy. was deployed in Baidoa, Somalia as Ireland’s contribution to UNOSOM II. The unit was charged with transporting supplies between Mogadishu Port and the UN base in Baidoa. For close protection its convoys were escorted by two armed ACMAT ‘gunship’ lorries. However, as tension increased in Somalia the two SISU XA-180 APCs based in the Curragh Camp were despatched to Baidoa to ‘beef-up’ the defence of convoys as required. The two SISU APCs proved very successful and remained in Somalia until September 1994 when the 2nd Transport Coy., which replaced the 1st Transport Coy. in March 1994, returned to Ireland.

SISU today:
With the adoption of the modern MOWAG Piranha IIIH 8x8 APC in 2001 the training role of the two Curragh Camp-based SISUs came to an end. Some thought was given to converting them to armoured ambulances or armoured fitters’/recovery vehicles. However, their twin rear doors and lack of a rear ramp was a serious drawback. In addition using the SISU alongside the Piranha IIIH on operations abroad would have complicated logistic and maintenance arrangements. Today the SISUs appear to be used primarily for driver training and as support vehicles for Cavalry Corps operations in Ireland. Over 25 years after they were purchased, the two SISU APCs are still well liked and have proved to be reliable and economical to operate.

For footage of a SISU XA-180 swimming in Finland see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iPNLTnqu_o

For further details of the SISU XA-180 and its variants see:
http://tanknutdave.com/the-finnish-patria-pasi-6x6-pac-aka-xa-180-series/

See the up-armoured XA-188 variant here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43_ZO3yk8uY

Видео Irish Army SISU XA-180 6x6 APC in use канала Karl Martin