South African armoured and mine-protected vehicle and associated systems manufacturer BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa (Land Systems SA) is focusing its efforts away from the market segment now generally known as (in US terminology) mine-resistant ambush-protected (Mrap) vehicles, owing to its downward trend. “We’ll focus on 4 × 4 light patrol vehicles,” states Land Systems SA MD Johan Steyn. “The 4 × 4 Mrap market has fallen away.

We’re not banking on it.”
The company’s light patrol vehicle design is the RG32M family, which has armour protection and provides good (for its size) protection against bullets, mines and improvised explosive devices. Land Systems SA refers to it as a mine-protected patrol vehicle (MPPV). The RG32M is much smaller than a 4 × 4 Mrap (such as Land Systems SA’s RG31) and can be supplied in different versions, including the light tactical vehicle model.

“The RG32M is, at the moment, our bread-and-butter market,” he reports. The vehicle has been a great success internationally, and the company is currently building vehicles for Finland and Sweden.

“I don’t think there’ll be a massive change in the environment for mine-protected patrol vehicles (MPPVs), for border patrol – the RG32M-type vehicle,” he affirms. “There is increased interest in border patrol. The MPPV is lighter but still protected and better suited for such roles than a heavy Mrap.”

The company is not, however, putting all its eggs in the MPPV basket. Over the past couple of years, it has developed the 6 × 6 RG35 mine-protected combat vehicle (there is also a previously developed 4 × 4 version, so there is an RG35 family). The 6 × 6 wheelbase provides improved tactical mobility, equivalent to that of South Africa’s battle-proven 6 × 6 Ratel infantry fighting vehicle.

"The RG35 is a totally new concept,” explains Steyn. “We see it where our future business is coming from. The 6 × 6 RG35 is more of a multirole vehicle,” adds company business development director Natasha Pheiffer. “It could fulfill the 6 × 6 and 8 × 8 roles. And then there is the 4 × 4 version, with 80% com- monality with the 6 × 6. It gives flexibility.”
The market for Mrap-type vehicles has not entirely disappeared. The company is currently working on a contract for the United Arab Emirates for mobile mortar platform versions of the RG31. The order is for 73 vehicles. “These are all new-built vehicles,” says Steyn.

But the Mrap market is shrinking. “Since the Afghanistan drawdown started, the US government has been offering lots of its Mraps as donations to approved FMS [foreign military sales – government to government deals] countries,” he points out. “We see quite a tough market for Mraps.”
And then there are the effects of the global recession. “Not only are there lots of defence cuts, but a lot of these are focused on the army light and medium armoured vehicle segments. Globally, it will be a very tough time. That’s just a fact of life.”

Further, more and more companies in more and more countries are trying to get into the armoured vehicle market and see Mraps as a niche they can enter. “If you look at the amount of new companies, new vehicles, launched at every [recent defence] exhibition, in precisely that category – it’s frightening,” reports Pheiffer. “A lot of countries have an ambition to enter this market.”

Nevertheless, the company has not curtailed any of its bursary, apprenticeship or community support programmes. “There is no point in cutting back,” assures Steyn. “This is a ‘lumpy’ business, with highs and lows. But you need a constant stream of new, young people coming into the business. You need fresh ideas!”