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Mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle

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(Redirected from MRAP)
BERJAYA
United States-made Cougar HE MRAPV being tested in January 2007 with landmines

Mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle (MRAPV), also known as MRAP vehicle, is a type of armoured personnel carrier that is designed specifically to withstand the impact of land mines, improvised explosive device (IED) attacks, and ambushes.[1][2][3][4] Most modern infantry mobility vehicles also have a certain level of MRAP capabilities.

History

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Specialized light armored vehicles designed specifically to resist land mines were first introduced in the 1970s by the Rhodesian Army, and were further developed by South African manufacturers starting in 1974 with the Hippo armored personnel carrier (APC).[5][6] The first step by the South African Defence Force (SADF) was the Bosvark, a Unimog fitted with a shallow mine-deflecting tub on the chassis to protect the crew. Then came the first generation of purpose-built vehicles, including the Hippo and various other light vehicles. They were essentially armoured V-shaped hulls mounted on truck chassis.

BERJAYA
Turkish-made BMC Kirpi in Ukrainian Marine Corps service

The next generation was represented by the Buffel, a Unimog chassis with a mine-protected cab and a mine-protected crew compartment mounted on it. These early vehicles overloaded their chassis and they were clumsy off-road. The Casspir Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle was developed for the SADF after 1980;[7] this was the inspiration for the American and other military MRAPV program and the basis for some of the program's vehicles.[8][9][10]

Design

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These vehicles have good off-road mobility, and armor protection against small-arms fire, IEDs, and antipersonnel mines. These armored vehicles generally have a distinctive V-shaped hull (for mine protection) and a wheeled chassis.[1][2][3][4]

List of MRAP vehicles

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Dedicated MRAPV
Name Country of origin Entered service Image
Hippo South Africa 1974 BERJAYA
Buffel South Africa 1978 BERJAYA
MPCV "Spook" Rhodesia 1979 BERJAYA
Mamba South Africa 1990 BERJAYA
ATF Dingo Germany 2000 BERJAYA
Unibuffel Sri Lanka 2000 BERJAYA
Cougar United States 2002 BERJAYA
RG-31 Nyala South Africa 2006 BERJAYA
BAE Caiman United States 2007 BERJAYA
Gaz Tigr Russia 2007 BERJAYA
International MaxxPro United States 2007 BERJAYA
RG-33 South Africa 2007 BERJAYA
Marauder South Africa 2008 BERJAYA
BMC Vuran Turkey 2009 BERJAYA
Nexter Aravis France 2009 BERJAYA
Oshkosh M-ATV United States 2009 BERJAYA
First Win Thailand 2010 BERJAYA
Force Protection Ocelot United Kingdom 2011 BERJAYA
CS/VP3 MRAP China 2012 BERJAYA
BMC Kirpi Turkey 2014 BERJAYA
Kamaz Typhoon Russia 2014 BERJAYA
Protolab Misu Finland 2017 BERJAYA
Roshel Senator Canada 2018 Roshel Senator
Sisu GTP Finland 2018 BERJAYA
Toofan Iran 2018 BERJAYA
Ezugwu MRAP Nigeria 2019 BERJAYA
JLTV United States 2019 BERJAYA
Unicob Sri Lanka 2021 BERJAYA
Kalyani M4 India 2022 BERJAYA
Zastava M20 MRAP Serbia 2023 BERJAYA

Infantry mobility vehicle with MRAP capabilities

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References

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  1. 1 2 Pike, John. "Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Program". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Turkey Quietly Sent 50 Mine-Resistant Armored Vehicles to the Ukrainian Military". Autoevolution. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Rosoboronexport launches import-substituted Typhoon-K MRAP vehicle in foreign markets". Rosoboronexport. 23 April 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Vehicle Management Codes" (PDF). DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE.
  5. "Lesakeng". South African Armour Museum. 2012-12-06. Archived from the original on 2013-07-03. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
  6. Heitman, Helmoed-Römer. South African Armed Forces. Buffalo Publications 1990. ISBN 0-620-14878-0 p 44.
  7. Russell, Robert W (2009). Does the MRAP meet the U.S. Army's needs as the primary method of protecting troops from the IED threat? (PDF) (Master of Military Art and Science thesis). US Army Command and General Staff College. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2012.
  8. Mike Guardia (20 November 2013). US Army and Marine Corps MRAPs: Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles. Osprey Publishing. pp. 14–. ISBN 978-1-78096-255-9.
  9. Leon Engelbrecht (8 February 2010). "Fact file: Casspir MRAP". Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  10. "An MRAP for India". Retrieved 20 September 2018.