// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the mine-resistant vehicle say? "I'm blown away by protection.
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
[edit] | This section needs to be updated. (December 2024) |
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 also known as a kwêvoël 100, 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.
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 in May of 1979 and the first order was placed in 1980;[7] It was commonly used for anti-insurgency operations by SWATF and Koevoet that would take place on the border of South West Africa (Namibia), Military operations in Angola during the Angolan Civil War and was used by SAP for protest dispersion / large scale deployment.[8][9] The Casspir was the inspiration for America's and the other military MRAPV programs and is the basis for most of the program's high grade vehicles.[10][11][12][13]
Design
[edit]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
[edit]| Name | Country of origin | Entered service | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hippo | South Africa | 1974 |  |
| Buffel | South Africa | 1978 | .jpg) |
| MPCV "Spook" | Rhodesia | 1979 |  |
| Casspir | South Africa | 1979-1981 | |
| Mamba | South Africa | 1990 | .jpg) |
| ATF Dingo | Germany | 2000 |  |
| Unibuffel | Sri Lanka | 2000 |  |
| Cougar | United States | 2002 |  |
| RG-31 Nyala | South Africa | 2006 |  |
| BAE Caiman | United States | 2007 | .jpg) |
| Gaz Tigr | Russia | 2007 |  |
| International MaxxPro | United States | 2007 |  |
| RG-33 | South Africa | 2007 |  |
| Marauder | South Africa | 2008 | .jpg) |
| BMC Vuran | Turkey | 2009 |  |
| Nexter Aravis | France | 2009 | .jpg) |
| Oshkosh M-ATV | United States | 2009 |  |
| First Win | Thailand | 2010 |  |
| Force Protection Ocelot | United Kingdom | 2011 |  |
| CS/VP3 MRAP | China | 2012 |  |
| BMC Kirpi | Turkey | 2014 |  |
| Kamaz Typhoon | Russia | 2014 | .jpg) |
| Protolab Misu | Finland | 2017 |  |
| Roshel Senator | Canada | 2018 |  |
| Sisu GTP | Finland | 2018 |  |
| Toofan | Iran | 2018 | .jpg) |
| Ezugwu MRAP | Nigeria | 2019 |  |
| JLTV | United States | 2019 | .jpg) |
| Unicob | Sri Lanka | 2021 | -_Sri_Lanka_Army.jpg) |
| Kalyani M4 | India | 2022 |  |
| Zastava M20 MRAP | Serbia | 2023 |  |
Infantry mobility vehicle with MRAP capabilities
[edit]- AMZ Żubr – (Poland)
- M16 Miloš – (Serbia)
- Bushmaster IMV – (Australia)
- COMBATGUARD – (Israel)
- Didgori series – (Georgia)
- Grizzly APC – (United States)
- Hunter TR-12 – (Colombia)
- Iveco LMV – (Italy) – several thousand ordered by Italian and other European militaries
- Kozak (armored personnel carrier) – (Ukraine)
- Lenco BearCat G5 – (United States)
- Nurol Ejder – (Turkey)
- Mahindra Armored Light Specialist Vehicle – (India)
- Mungo ESK – (Germany)
- Oshkosh L-ATV – (United States) – selected to meet US military's JLTV – (United States) requirement on 25 August 2015
- Otokar Cobra – (Turkey)
- Otokar Cobra II – (Turkey)
- RG-33 – (South Africa) (4×4)
- Shota – (Albania)
- STREIT Group Spartan – (Canada, Ukraine)
- Varta – (Ukraine)
- Roshel Senator – (Canada)
References
[edit]- 1 2 Pike, John. "Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Program". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
- 1 2 "Turkey Quietly Sent 50 Mine-Resistant Armored Vehicles to the Ukrainian Military". Autoevolution. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
- 1 2 "Rosoboronexport launches import-substituted Typhoon-K MRAP vehicle in foreign markets". Rosoboronexport. 23 April 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
- 1 2 "Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Vehicle Management Codes" (PDF). DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE.
- ↑ "Lesakeng". South African Armour Museum. 2012-12-06. Archived from the original on 2013-07-03. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
- ↑ Heitman, Helmoed-Römer. South African Armed Forces. Buffalo Publications 1990. ISBN 0-620-14878-0 p 44.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Engelbrecht, Leon (2010-02-08). "Fact file: Casspir MRAP - DefenceWeb". Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ "CIA Report on Koevoet and SWATF" (PDF).
- ↑ Witschas, Wolfgang (2026-04-15). "Casspir Mk II B: South Africa's Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle (MRAP), Wolfgang Witschas - Nongqai Volume 17 No 4 - Nongqai BLOG". Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Leon Engelbrecht (8 February 2010). "Fact file: Casspir MRAP". Retrieved 5 November 2014.
- ↑ "An MRAP for India". Retrieved 20 September 2018.