pandur 6x6 (valuk)

The Valuk is a Slovenian-produced variant of the Austrian Steyr-Daimler-Puch Pandur I 6x6 armoured personnel carrier. It is primarily used for troop transport and reconnaissance, offering protection against small arms fire and artillery shell splinters.

Developed in the late 1990s under a licensing agreement between Slovenia's Sistemska Tehnika and Austria's Steyr-Daimler-Puch, the Valuk was created to modernize the newly independent Slovenian Armed Forces and entered service in 1998. The vehicle saw extensive deployment in international peacekeeping operations, including NATO-led missions in Kosovo, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. In 2023, Slovenia transferred 20 Valuk units to Ukraine to support its defense against the Russian invasion, marking the platform's first high-intensity combat deployment. Today, the remaining fleet continues to serve as a cornerstone of Slovenia's light armored capabilities while the military plans for future modernization.