Mbombe 6 South African 6x6 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP)
Mbombe 6
Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP)
Other
Basic Information
Name
Mbombe 6 South African 6x6 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP)
Designation
Mbombe 6
Alternate Designation
Mbombe 6
Equipment Type
Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP)
Manufacturer
Paramount Group
Date of Introduction
2021
Description
The Mbombe 6 South African 6x6 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) is a wheeled AFV designed and manufactured in South Africa by the Paramount Group for customers requiring an economical armoured vehicle suitable for modern conflicts. The baseline Mbombe 6 is a 6×6 armoured personnel carrier (APC) that is designed to carry a section of infantry dismounted across a fire zone and into contact with an enemy, although it can also be employed for patrol duties in lower-intensity conflicts.
Ground Specifications
Crew
3
Mobility Type
Wheeled (6x6)
Main Weapon
30 mm 2A42 dual-feed cannon
Engine
Turbocharged Diesel (450 hp)
NBC Protection
Yes
Max Speed
110.0 km/h
Range
1000.0 km
Variants
Vesuvius
Vesuvius is a variant of the Mbombe 6 that has been modified to provide an anti-tank platform that is capable of engaging a wide range of targets. On the roof is fitted a fully stabilised weapon platform, which is armed with four South African Denel Dynamics Ingwe laser-guided anti-tank missiles (ATMs) with a maximum range of 5,000 m. Mounted between the two banks of two Ingwe laser-guided missiles is a 12.7 mm MG with 100 rounds of ready-use ammunition and below this is the high-definition day/night EO sighting system.
System
Alternative Designation
Mbombe 6
Type
Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP)
Manufacturer
Paramount Group
Configuration
6x6
Crew
3 ea
Passengers
8 ea
Note
The Mbombe 6 can be fitted with a wide range of optional equipment including APU, BMS, long-range fuel tanks, RFIs, and various radios and intercom systems. Installation of the APU, for example, would allow onboard subsystems to be run with the main engine shut down. Electronic devices to counter IEDs can be fitted, as can banks of cameras to provide situational awareness through full 360°. This relays images to flat-screen displays for the commander, driver, gunners, and in the dismount compartment. There is also a driver's reversing camera that displays only on the driver's screen.
Dimensions
Length
7.715 m
Width
2.80 m
Height
2.549 m
Wheelbase
2.30 m + 2.24 m
Weight, Standard
17,300 kg
Weight, Combat
22,500 kg
Automotive
Engine Name
Cummins, 6 cylinders
Engine Type
Turbocharged and Intercooled Diesel
Engine Power
450 hp
Maximum Range
1,000 km
Maximum Speed
110 km/h
Amphibious
No
Gradient
40%
Side Slope
35%
Vertical Step
0.5 m
Fording
0.9 m
Angle of Approach
44°
Angle of Departure
54°
Main Weapon System
Note
The first example of the Mbombe 6 was fitted with a one-person turret called the 20/30 Overhead Weapons System (OWS) which can be armed with a wide range of 20 to 30 mm cannons. Turret traverse and weapon elevation are all-electric with manual backup. The first version shown in September 2010 is armed with an externally mounted unstabilized Russian 30 mm 2A42 dual-feed cannon provided with 300 rounds of ready-use ammunition (2 × 150) with the ammunition bins being mounted internally. Mounted externally on the left is a 7.62 mm co-axial MG which re-cocked by remote control with the sighting system mounted externally on the right. This features a thermal imager, day camera, laser rangefinder, and a backup visual red-dot sight. The weapons are laid onto the target by the gunner from inside the turret (e.g. below the hull roofline) using a flat-panel display and hand controllers. In addition to the sighting system, the gunner is provided with vision blocks for all-round observation, and mounted on either side of the turret are two banks of four 76 mm electrically operated grenade launchers that cover the frontal arc of the turret.
The Mbombe 6 supplied to Ukraine is fitted with a Spys (Spear) remotely operated weapon system (ROWS). The primary armament of the Spys is a ZTM-1 30 mm cannon. A PKT 7.62 mm MG and an AGS-17 30 mm automatic grenade launcher (AGL) are also mounted co-axially with the main armament. The Spys fitted to the Ukrainian Mbombe 6 had two launchers for an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), one on each side of the turret. These can accommodate the Barrier ATGM, although the launch tubes on the Ukrainian example appeared to be empty. Turret traverses through 360º and elevation from -15º to +50º is fully electric. Up to 300 rounds for the 30 mm cannon, 2,000 rounds for the MG, and 125 30 mm grenades are stowed within the Spys. The system can also accommodate up to four Barrier ATGMs.
Jordanian vehicles are understood to carry the Snake Head cupola. The Snake Head family was developed by the Jordan Advanced Machine Company (Jordan AMCO) to meet a Jordanian requirement for protected weapon stations for mounting on lightly armored platforms. The variant used is believed to be the Mk III-A model, which is a development of the Mk II, with the main difference being that the armament is mounted in a thin mantlet, improving the protection with the removal of the Mk II model's vulnerability. The station is armed with a .50-calibre (12.7 mm) M2 heavy barrel (HB) MG. The weapon station is also equipped with three sliding firing ports, 11 × 20 cm in size, from which small arms can be fired. Elevation is from -10° to +50°. The protected weapon station is equipped with 13 unitary vision blocks with a thickness of 40 mm (1.6 in) to provide situational awareness. The weapon station is electrically traversed through 360° using a joystick controller, with manual backup. Power is provided by a pair of integral 12 V batteries, powering a 24 V suction fan to extract weapon fumes and a 24 V searchlight on the top of the weapon station.
Protection
Armor
The double-skin hull of the Mbombe 6 is of all-welded steel armour construction providing protection against small-arms fire up to STANAG 4569 Level 4, which is sufficient to protect the occupants from armour-piercing 14.5 mm ammunition and shell splinters. Some parts of the hull are all welded while other parts are bent into shape to reduce the number of vulnerable welds. The windows of the vehicle provide ballistic protection and are typically fitted with bar armour to provide statistical protection from cumulative projectiles. Paramount claims that the Mbombe 6 mine-resistant honeycomb flat V-hull design lowers the overall height of the vehicle as well as providing protection against a 10 kg anti-tank mine exploding anywhere under the hull or wheel station. Mbombe 6 also features a floating floor in the crew compartment. The external stowage boxes of either side of the hull provide protection against 155 mm artillery bursts and a 50 kg TNT IED exploding at a distance of 5 m from the vehicle. These external stowage boxes are designed to detach in the event of an explosion. The seats, which are not attached to the floor, are designed to prevent damage to the crew from extreme acceleration following an explosion alongside or under the vehicle. A measure of active protection can be provided through the installation of a laser warning receiver linked to smoke-grenade launchers.
Applique Armor
Available
NBC Protection
Yes
Smoke Equipment
Yes
Image Sources
Details
Country of Origin
South Africa
Category
Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP)
Land > Infantry Vehicles > Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP)
Filter Label
M
Classification
Domain
Ground
Equipment Status
Active
Dimensions
Length
7.72 m
Width
2.8 m
Height
2.55 m
Weight
22500 kg
Operators (6)
Ukraine
South Africa
Ecuador
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Libya
Something went wrong. Please reload the page.
Reload