At IDEF 2015, FNSS (a joint venture between Nurol Holding and BAE Systems) unveiled the PARS 4x4 prototype, a kind of rear-engined vehicle. The total mass of the amphibious armored vehicle is 10 tons, which can be increased to 12 tons if buoyancy is not required. Movement on the water is provided by two water cannons, the freeboard is 350 mm, which will allow the machine to enter the water without preparation. FNSS says the rear-engine layout improves the machine's performance on the water when compared to competitive platforms. No engine information is provided, but a power density of 25-30 hp / t is claimed, so the power output should be in the order of 250-300 hp. PARS 4x4 is equipped with an independent suspension with double wishbones and hydropneumatic springs. Tire pressure control and large wheels reduce ground pressure and maximize flotation. The car can accommodate five soldiers, a driver with a commander in front, and three seats in the back are staggered to optimize situational awareness, while the car has a large windshield. Behind the crew's seats can be installed a mast with a sensor set for a view reconnaissance or anti-tank missile installations, the total carrying capacity of the vehicle is 3 tons. In June 2016, FNSS received from the Defense Industry Undersecretariat a draft contract for the STA family (Sikh Tasiyici Arac, anti-tank vehicle), which will include both tracked and wheeled platforms, the latter being based on PARS 4x4. The car definitely meets Turkish requirements, but the final configuration has not yet been approved. Design, development and qualification testing of the prototype will be completed in 2018, with deliveries scheduled for the next two years.
When the Turkish military wanted to get new vehicles of the MRAP category into service, the contract was awarded to the Navy, which offered its Kirpi 4x4 armored vehicle, based on an Israeli project. At that time, the countries worked closely in the defense sphere and therefore nothing prevented the Navy from turning to Hatehof (now Carmor), which provided its Navigator platform. With a gross weight of 16 tons, the Kirpi armored vehicle has a monocoque body mounted on the chassis of a Navy truck with a 375 hp Cummins engine. There is no official data on the protection of this machine, although it is clear that this is a full-fledged third level. The car can accommodate 10-15 soldiers, including its crew. In addition to the 2009 Turkish contract for the army and gendarmerie, which was suspended for some time due to financial problems in the company, the Kirpi armored vehicle nevertheless proved to be quite a successful export platform after contracts with Pakistan and Tunisia. The latter country received a batch of 40 vehicles and 60 more will be delivered later. Turkmenistan also became a buyer of Turkish-made MRAP 4x4. There is another 4x4 configuration platform in the Navy's portfolio. The Vuran armored vehicle, shown at IDEF 2015, is mainly focused on paramilitary formations.
It is worth noting another Turkish company that produces 4x4 armored vehicles. Katmerciler offers two of its platforms, Khan and Hizir, the latter for the military. The Hizir armored car with a gross weight of 16 tons, presented at the end of 2016, can accommodate up to 9 people. The machine has a supporting body and a V-shaped bottom, while the company does not provide details in terms of protection levels. The crew with the landing party sit down through two side and one rear doors. The vehicle, presented at an exhibition in Istanbul in November last year, was equipped with an Aselsan SARP remotely controlled weapon module (DUMV), loopholes are equipped in the doors and on the sides of the hull.
The Ramta Division of the Israeli Aerospace Industry is engaged in the development of land and sea systems and therefore it is not surprising that its portfolio includes a light armored car under the designation Ram Mk 3. It has a rather unconventional layout, as its power unit, consisting of a six-cylinder air-cooled turbodiesel Deutz power of 185 hp, aggregated with a four-speed automatic transmission, located at the rear. According to IAI Ramta, the turbocharged and intercooled engine is offered as an option for those customers looking for a power-to-weight ratio in excess of 28 hp / t. The Ram Mk 3 armored car is distinguished by a load-bearing crew capsule made of armored steel. The share of ready-made commercial components is over 90%, which allows you to keep an acceptable cost and simplifies maintenance, and the customer is not tied to the supply of spare parts from the manufacturer. The survivability of the platform is at a high level, all important components of the chassis and power unit are protected by sheets of armor steel. Basic protection corresponds to STANAG Level 2, but can be upgraded to Level 3, mine protection corresponds to Level 2a / b. IAI Ramta said that the current combat weight of 6.5 tons, of which the payload accounts for 1.2 tons, is not associated with design constraints, but with the desire to expand opportunities for future upgrades. IAI Ramta also offers so-called "statistical protection" against RPGs in the form of lattice and firewalls. The company constantly monitors the development of security solutions in order to timely integrate the latest systems.
However, if you are looking for digital or “glamorous” solutions, do not choose the Ram Mk 3. The philosophy of the company is simplicity, all automotive systems are analog, not digital, reliability and ease of maintenance are paramount. The same applies to electrical subsystems, because the machine does not implement a complex and centralized architecture. IAI Ramta prefers to develop customer-specific solutions based on traditional car wiring. In addition to the standard configuration of the personnel carrier, which accommodates up to 8 soldiers, the Ram Mk 3 armored car was developed in at least another 20 different versions and sub-variants, including a reconnaissance vehicle equipped with a retractable mast with a sensor set for view reconnaissance; operational control with fewer seats in order to free up space for computers, displays and additional communications equipment; anti-tank with retractable launcher with four short-range Nimrod missiles. All variants have the same appearance so that the enemy cannot distinguish a vehicle with special equipment from the rest. The exception was the latest development - an ambulance, which has a slightly raised roof, which made it possible to increase the internal volume for accommodating medical personnel and equipment; This version can carry up to 4 stretchers, while the wounded are loaded through the side doors, recall that the power unit of this vehicle is located at the rear. The Ram Mk 3 armored car was supplied to numerous customers, both military and paramilitary structures. The latter are attracted by the relatively small size of the car, which does not frighten the civilian population, unlike the giant machines of the MRAP category. Almost 500 vehicles have been sold, with a significant increase in the number of buyers in the past few years. Africa remains one of the main sales markets, as evidenced by the contract announced by IAI in February 2015. Two African customers bought 100 additional Ram Mk 3 armored vehicles for their military.
The Israeli company Carmor, formerly known as Hatehof, has a full range of 4x4 armored vehicles in its portfolio. Let's start with the heavier platforms. The Navigator armored vehicle with its own weight of 15 tons and a carrying capacity of 3 tons can accommodate up to 13 soldiers and has ballistic protection corresponding to Level 4 and mine protection corresponding to Level 3a / b. The machine is equipped with a 345 hp Cummins diesel engine, its supporting body allows for future upgrades without any problems; the company claims that the total weight can be increased to 23 tons. Next comes the Xtream armored vehicle with a gross weight of 16.5 tons, a carrying capacity of 4.7 tons and seats for 4-7 people, the protection levels correspond to the protection levels of the Navigator car. An armored car with a 325 hp engine. Cummins is smaller, but has better mobility, especially in terms of the front and rear overhang angles (the angles of entry and exit from an obstacle). The champion in these angles (85 ° and 90 °, respectively) is the Hurricane armored car due to its very small front and rear overhangs; with a dead weight of 7.5 tons and a carrying capacity of 2.1 tons, this 4x4 armored vehicle provides seven soldiers on board with Level 3 ballistic protection and Level 2a / b mine protection. The machine is equipped with a 245 hp engine. Cummins.
The latest successes and achievements of the Carmor company (at least announced by it) refer to the Wolf platform, which has a curb weight of 7.1 tonnes and a lifting capacity of 1.745 tonnes. Powered by a 300 hp engine, it can accommodate up to 11 soldiers and provides Level 3 ballistic protection and Level 1 mine protection. The Wolf armored car demonstrates the continuous development of vehicles manufactured by Carmor. Although a direct comparison is difficult, as some of the characteristics have changed, the newest variant, which has recently won contracts for supplying police forces in Brazil and Macedonia, has a payload of almost 25% of its own weight, whereas in previous models this figure was about 18 %. Armored vehicles of the Carmor company are designed for both military and paramilitary structures. This is confirmed by the Brazilian contract, according to which 4 Wolf armored vehicles were purchased for the Sao Paulo police, which were delivered and already took part in suppressing the riots in this largest city in Brazil.
With a total weight of 15 tons, the RG21 armored vehicle can accommodate up to 12 soldiers and has very good protection against mines and IEDs.
IMI Systems (formerly Israel Military Industries) offers its Wildcat platform, which is an IMI-designed crew capsule mounted on a Tatra 4x4 chassis with split axles that provide almost the same mobility as a fully independent suspension. A Cummins engine with a power of 325 hp is installed on the machine with a gross weight of 18.5 tons and a dead weight of 11.4 tons. A payload of 7.1 tonnes can be used to significantly increase the level of protection: Kit A guarantees ballistic protection corresponding to the third level, Kit B provides Level 4, while Kit C can handle 14.5mm AP bullets and RPGs. As for mines, the V-shaped bottom of the Wildcat, in combination with other solutions, provides mine protection of Level 3a / 2b. The crew of three gets into the car through the ramp on the port side, and 9 paratroopers board through the aft ramp. The car, apparently, is still at the prototype stage, since the launch customer has not yet appeared. Another interesting concept from IMI is implemented in the CombatGuard platform, presented at Eurosatory 2014. Buggy with a gross weight of 8 tons was developed in cooperation with the Ido Center for Off-Road Technology. The car is equipped with a 300 hp engine, its large 54-inch wheels allow it to reach speeds of up to 150 km / h on the highway and up to 120 km / h on rough terrain. The wheels protrude beyond the dimensions of the body, thus the overhang angles reach 90 °. The vehicle is equipped with an armored cabin that can accommodate two crew members and 4-6 paratroopers, the levels of protection are not reported. The vehicle was probably designed for Israel's special forces, but no news of a possible contract and operational deployment has emerged.
The Streit Group, which celebrated its 25th anniversary, is increasingly immersed in the world of military vehicles. Its portfolio is constantly growing, as we see new machines at every exhibition. In terms of machine protection, the group does not exclusively adhere to the STANAG 4569 standard, it also works with other standards, such as the European CEN 1063 and CEN 1522, since not all customers adhere to NATO standards. Examples include the latest developments from Streit - the Cobra and Couaar armored vehicles. The light patrol vehicle Cobra has a curb weight of 4,760 kg and a payload of 1,000 kg and is based on a Toyota chassis with a diesel engine with a power of 232 hp. Standard protection is CEN B6 (7.62mm soft core bullet) but can be upgraded to B7, while anti-explosion protection can be upgraded from the standard 2xDM51 to 1xDM31. The vehicle is available in three- and five-door configurations and can accommodate 8-9 soldiers. The same levels of protection are offered by the Spartan armored car with a dead weight of 7.3 tons, a carrying capacity of 1.5 tons and a Ford V8 engine with 300 hp. The car accommodates a crew of two people plus eight paratroopers with the ability to change the seating pattern. A DUMV can be installed on the machine, but being a modular design, it can be used for special tasks, for example, as a command or ambulance option.
The aforementioned vehicles can be operated by military and paramilitary units. The same applies to the Gladiator armored car, based on a Renault 4x4 truck chassis with a 276 hp engine, which has a dead weight of 11 tons and a payload of 2 tons. The machine body, protected in accordance with STANAG 4569 Level 2, can accommodate up to 12 people. However, she can get an additional booking, which increases the level of protection to the third. The Scorpion 4x4 armored car is the second vehicle produced by Streit with a monocoque body. A Cummins diesel engine with a power of 300 hp is installed on a machine with an independent suspension, a dead weight of 11 tons and a carrying capacity of 2 tons. Basic bullet protection corresponds to STANAG 4569 Level 3 and mine protection to Level 3a / b, an optional additional armor kit raises the protection level to the fourth. The car can accommodate a crew of two and eight landing people.
Taking the KraZ-5233BE chassis as a base, Streit has developed the Shreck MRAP category armored vehicle, which can accommodate up to 12 soldiers with the same levels of basic and optional protection as the previous model. The machine is equipped with a 330 hp engine. it has a dead weight of 15 tons and a carrying capacity of 3 tons. A variant for the neutralization of explosive objects with a hydraulic manipulator arm has been developed. In the company's portfolio there is another MRAP machine, which received the designation Tornado. It provides basic Tier 2 ballistic protection and Tier 3a / b anti-mine protection, while the level of ballistic protection can be increased to the fourth due to the armor kit. The vehicle with a 300 hp engine, 13 tons of own weight and 2 tons of carrying capacity can accommodate up to 10 soldiers. And finally, the Typhoon armored vehicle of the MRAP category: a load-bearing body, independent suspension and a 400 hp Cummins diesel engine. It has the same dead weight, carrying capacity, levels of basic and optional protection as the Tornado armored vehicle.
