Mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle

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. Most modern infantry mobility vehicles also have a certain level of MRAP capabilities.

History

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 manufactures in 1974 with the Hippo armored personnel carrier (APC). 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.

Turkish-made BMC Kirpi in Ukrainian Marine Corps service
A Image of the South African Casspir MRAP

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 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; It was commonly used for anti-insurgency operations by SWATF and Koevoet that took place on the border of South West Africa (Namibia), as well as military operations in Angola during the Angolan Civil War and by the South African Police for protest dispersion/ large scale deployment. 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.

Design

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.

List of MRAP vehicles

Dedicated MRAPV
Name Country of origin Entered service Image
Hippo South Africa 1974
Buffel South Africa 1978
MPCV "Spook" Rhodesia 1979
Casspir South Africa 1979-1981
Mamba South Africa 1990
ATF Dingo Germany 2000
Unibuffel Sri Lanka 2000
Cougar United States 2002
RG-31 Nyala South Africa 2006
BAE Caiman United States 2007
Gaz Tigr Russia 2007
International MaxxPro United States 2007
RG-33 South Africa 2007
Marauder South Africa 2008
BMC Vuran Turkey 2009
Nexter Aravis France 2009
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
Protolab Misu Finland 2017
Cavalier Hamza Pakistan 2017
Roshel Senator Canada 2018 Roshel Senator
Sisu GTP Finland 2018
Toofan Iran 2018
Ezugwu MRAP Nigeria 2019
JLTV United States 2019
Unicob Sri Lanka 2021
Kalyani M4 India 2022
Zastava M20 MRAP Serbia 2023

Infantry mobility vehicle with MRAP capabilities


References

  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. ↑ Engelbrecht, Leon (2010-02-08). "Fact file: Casspir MRAP - DefenceWeb". Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  9. ↑ "CIA Report on Koevoet and SWATF" (PDF).
  10. ↑ 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.
  11. ↑ 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.
  12. ↑ Leon Engelbrecht (8 February 2010). "Fact file: Casspir MRAP". Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "An MRAP for India". Retrieved 20 September 2018.