Kauayotl
VEPRES 350 Kauayotl | |
---|---|
Type | Armored personnel carrier |
Place of origin | Creeperopolis |
Service history | |
In service | 1974–present |
Used by | |
Wars | Creeperian Conflicts |
Production history | |
Designer | Oswaldo Marenco Carballo |
Designed | 1973–1974 |
Manufacturer | Zaldívar Vehicle Company |
Unit cost | ₡329,600 colóns[note 1] |
Produced | 1974–present |
No. built | 1,245 (350/1, as of 2021) 165 (350/2, as of 2021) |
Variants | VEPRES 350/1, VEPRES 350/2 |
Specifications | |
Mass | 3⁄4-tons |
Length | 17pi. 4pl. (15ft. 10in.; 4.83m.) |
Width | 6pi. 9pl. (6ft. 2in.; 1.88m.) |
Height | 8pi. 1pl. (7ft. 5in.; 2.26m.) |
Crew | 3 |
Passengers | 7 |
Armor | 1pl. (.9in.; 2.3cm.) |
Main armament | 350/1: 12.7×108mm FEA-34 T-1970 350/2: 7.62×51mm FEA-35 T-2011 |
Engine | Reyes-Ribelles RRV350 78hp (58kW) |
Transmission | 4 speed X 2 range |
Suspension | 4×4 live beam axles on leaf springs |
Ground clearance | 1pi. (11in.; 28cm.) |
Fuel capacity | 25gal. (95l.) |
Operational range | 260ml (225mi; 362 km) |
Speed | 65mch (56mph; 90kph) |
The Vehículo para'Propositos Especiales 350 (Creeperian: Վեհձծփլո պարա'Պրոպոսիտոս Եսպեծիալես 350; Creeperian for: Special Purpose Vehicle 350), abbreviated as the VEPRES 350 (Creeperian: ՎԵՊՐԵՍ 350; Creeperian pronunciation: [veˈprez tres.sinˈkwen.ta]), and more commonly known as the Kauayotl (Creeperian: Կափայոտլ; Xichútepan word meaning: "Horse"; Creeperian pronunciation: [ka.waˈɟʝo.tl]), is a 3⁄4-ton 4×4 armored personnel carrier produced in Creeperopolis.
It was introduced in 1974 and is currently used by Creeperopolis, El Salvador, and Lyoa. The vehicle has two variants: the 350/1 which is armed with a 12.7×108mm Figueroa-34 Tipo-1970 heavy machine gun, and the 350/2 armed with a 7.62×51mm Figueroa-35 medium machine gun.
As of 2021, a total of 1,410 vehicles have been produced, of which, 1,245 are of the 350/1 variant, and 165 are of the 350/2 variant. The vehicle is one of the most produced armored personnel carriers by the Zaldívar Vehicle Company (ZEV).
Contents
History
In 1973, the Creeperian Army ordered the construction of a quick, light-weight armored personnel carrier from the Zaldívar Vehicle Company (ZEV) for use in the then ongoing Third Senvarian Insurgency. The company, with the assistance of Brigadier Oswaldo Marenco Carballo, designed the VEPRES 350/1 armored personnel carrier between 1973 and 1974. At its test trials in San Salvador, the Creeperian Army approved the model and ZEV began producing the vehicle. It was nicknamed the Kauayotl, meaning "horse" in the Xichútepan language, in commemoration of its designer, Marenco Carballo, alluding to his maternal surname, Carballo, which sounds similar to "caballo," the Creeperian word for horse.
The vehicle also entered service with the Creeperian Imperial Guard in 1975, and in 1979, with the beginning of the Mara War, both the Creeperian Imperial Police and the Salvadoran National Police began using the vehicle. The vehicle was used extensively during the San Carlos Islands Crisis, which was mostly a guerrilla war against various rebel militia groups, and the vehicle was used similarly in the Castillianan Insurgency. In 2011, a second variant of the vehicle was introduced: the VEPRES 350/2.
Specifications
Engine
Both models of the VEPRES 350 are powered by the Reyes-Ribelles RRV350 engine, designed specifically for the VEPRES 350.
- Type
- 6 cylinder
- Power
- 78hp (58kW)
- Oil capacity
- 1.5gal (5.7l)
- Radiator capacity
- 6.5gal (24.5l)
- Top speed
- 65mch (56mph; 90kph)
- Operational range
- 260ml (225mi; 362 km)
Driveline
- Transmission
- 4 speed X 2 range
- Transfer Case Ratio
- High 1:1, low 1.96:1
Chassis
- Fuel tank
- 25gal. (95l.)
- Electrical
- Ignition, starting, lights, 24 volts
- Ground clearance
- 1pi. (11in.; 28cm.)
- Suspension
- 4×4 live beam axles on leaf springs
Variants
VEPRES 350/1
The VEPRES 350/1 variant is the first model of the VEPRES 350. It was introduced in 1974, has a crew of three, and can carry seven passengers. It is armed with a 12.7×108mm Figueroa-34 Tipo-1970 heavy machine gun. Some more modern vehicles are armed with an additional Figueroa-35 medium machine gun, however, they are still considered to still be the same variant. From 1974 to 2010, thirty were built per year. Since 2011, only fifteen have been built per year. A total of 1,245 VEPRES 350/1s have been built as of 2021.
VEPRES 350/2
The VEPRES 350/2 variant is the second and the most recent model of the VEPRES 350. It was introduced in 2011, has a crew of three, and can carry seven passengers. It is armed with a 7.62×51mm Figueroa-35 medium machine gun. Some vehicles are armed with two Figueroa-35 medium machine guns, however, they are still considered to still be the same variant. Since 2011, fifteen have been built per year. A total of 165 VEPRES 350/2s have been built as of 2021.
Service history
Current operators
The VEPRES 350 is currently operated by three nations:
Variants operated
Nation | Operator | In service | VEPRES 350/1 | VEPRES 350/2 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Creeperopolis | Creeperian Army | 1974–present | 1,080 | 145 | 1,225 |
Creeperian Imperial Guard | 1975–present | 60 | 10 | 70 | |
Creeperian Imperial Police | 1979–present | 35 | 5 | 40 | |
El Salvador | Salvadoran National Police | 1979–present | 15 | 5 | 20 |
Pavulturilor | Pavulturilori Army | 1980–present | 200 | – | 200 |
Rakeo | 23x15px Rakeoian Army Core | 1976–present | 36 | – | 36 |
Directory of Internal Affairs | 1976–present | 4 | – | 4 | |
Total | 1,435 | 165 | 1,600 |