Army Recapitalisation Programme

Iveco
Iveco seven tonne GS Cargo trucks of the Depoh Simpanan Pertahanan (Defence Storage Depot) being readied for deployment at the height of the 2014 floods. Mindef

SHAH ALAM: Army Recapitalisation Programme. It appears that we are all unaware that the Army had embarked on its recapitalisation programme for its vehicle fleet. It actually started with the Gempita procurement programme. The Army dubbed the Gempita procurement as Mobility Phase 1 as it involved Kenderaan Jenis A or Type A vehicles, or armoured vehicles.

Gempita AVS, signals variant. It is armed with the Reutech Rogue RWS fitted with a 12.7mm machine gun. The vehicle took part in Eks Satria Perkasa in October, 2016.

What about Lipan Bara and IAG Guardian purchases then, as both are armoured vehicles? It is likely that both were purchased under an Urgent Operational Requirement and not part of the mobility programme.

A Lipan Bara likely from the Armour School in Port Dickson at the Merdeka 2019 rehersal day.

The Gempita procurement was so big that the other phases of the programme, Mobility II and III procurement had to be done in small batches in RMK 10 and RMK11 as I stated previously. And delays in the Gempita procurement has also resulted that it will only end in RMK12.

Mobility Phase II involved Kenderaan Jenis B, Type B Vehicles or combat support vehicles and Mobility Phase III are for Kenderaan Jenis C or Type C Vehicles or logistics vehicles. This is the reason the tender for the vehicles – weapon carriers, motorcycles and scramblers – as reported here.

Tender
The advertisement for the tenders for the 3 and 5 tonnes GS cargo 4X4 truck for the Army

Hot on the heels of the above, Mindef has also advertised the tenders for new General Services Cargo 4X4 trucks – three and five tonne ones. As the trucks are combat support vehicles, the tenders are classified under Mobility Phase 11.The last time Mindef ordered a large number of 3 tonnes GS Cargo 4X4 was in 2016, for 222 Deftech Handalan II, the latest version of Handalan. Deftech had supplied some 1,870 Handalan 1 trucks from 1996 to 2003. Based on the number supplied in the past, there is a possibility that some 1,500 three-tonne GS Cargo 4X4 trucks will need to be replaced within the next ten years as this time around they are only looking for 132 trucks.

Handalan II
A Handalan II GS Cargo 3 tonne truck being towed by a recovery truck during combat training. BTDM

As for five-tonne GS Cargo 4X4 trucks, the Army is looking for 12 vehicles in the latest tender. The Army bought around a dozen Iveco Eurotrekker five-tonne GS Cargo 4X4 trucks around 2010 and 2014. Their existence was only confirmed when the Army published pictures of the trucks being prepared for deployment to assist in relief operations during the 2014 floods.

Iveco
Iveco 5 tonne GS trucks of the Depo Simpanan Pertahanan (Defence Storage Depot) being readied for deployment at the height of the 2014 floods. Internet.

These have since been supplemented by an unknown number of MAN Five Tonne GS Cargo 4X4 trucks.
At DSA 2016, AVP Engineering Sdn Bhd displayed the truck at its stand and announced an MOU with MAN Malaysia for the distribution of their range of trucks. Although no announcement of a contract with the Army was announced, a number of the MAN trucks have been seen in the wild spotting the digital camouflage.

MAN 5-tonne GS Cargo painted in the Army digital camouflage displayed at DSA 2016. MAN Malaysia

Apart from the Army, a large number of the same trucks have also been purchased by the Agensi Penyelamat Malaysia, the Civil Defence Agency.

*updated with the number of vehicles and clarity.

–Malaysian Defence

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About Marhalim Abas 2131 Articles
Shah Alam

17 Comments

  1. How about the tatra trucks ? I believe this under nadma but operated by TD hence the z regn

    Reply
    Yes

  2. @…
    Yea, Myanmar now officially the 3rd asean nation use Makassar class LPD. The deal is off the radar, maybe due to Rohingya case so they order from south korea.

    So, what RMN waiting for?

  3. Interesting.

    @…
    BTW, have you looked at the VBMR Griffon instead of the JLTV?

    It may be more suitable as a Type A APC than the JLTV. There are certain different pros and cons which may justify the price tag.

  4. I agree with the Army buying MAN trucks… but a big NO for IVECO… for safety reasons and far more better handling, I would suggest Volvo or MAN trucks.

  5. I thought after all these years Deftech have come up with a JV 5-tonner truck,but I’m wrong.

    Reply
    They tried to sell the Tata one but failed to sell any

  6. @romeo
    “So, what RMN waiting for?”
    Funding. That should come in RMK12/13

    @Noor Hijrah
    Volvo is a good truck. Kembalik have bought some FMX for Gempita recovery. I would prefer if TDM standardise their 5ton trucks to just Volvo only. Their massive service network will benefit TDM immensely.

  7. @ chua

    In my plan, the JLTV isnt going to be used as an APC.

    It is basically something used for
    – Recce with Vingtaqs mast
    – fire support with 0.50 cal machine guns and AGL.
    – ATGM carrier
    – Ambulance
    – starstreak rapidranger carrier
    – 105mm self propelled howitzer with the hawkeye system.
    – general purpose.

    So JLTVs to be used alongside the gempita in the cavalry regiments, as the recce and fire support elements, and alongside new APCs in motorized infantry battalions, as their fire support vehicles. Others like the rapidranger and howitzer in artillery regiments.

    APC i am thinking something like the Bushmaster, which costs half of the VMBR Griffon.

    I am looking at 450 JLTV plus 450 APC, including reserves/spares and additional 1 battalion set for UN deployments.

  8. “They tried to sell the Tata one but failed to sell any”
    TATA business are mainly for commercial market tho can’t discount DEFTECH pushing it to Armed Forces. Mechanically they are sound trucks, being used extensively on the Indian wilderness and highlands of Nepal.

  9. The TRS-3Ds and BR-90s and CMN pontoon bridges are mounted on MANs. Anyone know the model of this truck/lorry?

  10. @Marhalim
    The IAG Guardian wouldn’t come into this picture as it would be primarily used in Lebanon peacekeeping duties, likely it wouldn’t come “back” to Malaysia until their mission is over. The AV4 was supposedly our lite MRAP. It has its purpose as a recce in areas suspected to have mines & IED so I would say its more likely used against non-state actors which is why it doesn’t fit into the picture as well.

  11. Sorry out of topic.

    How is the border regiment battalions structured and equipped? Same as the BIS?

    Do the border brigade have their own support companies, like signals, mps, reme etc..

    Reply
    Yes though they are usually have lower number of personnel than authorised and are largely equipped with hand me down things…

  12. Looks like another tender is out for next batch (10 units) of 5T trucks under the same Phase II. Means there are now 20 units in total being procured under this phase (previous batch was for 10 units as well).

    Reply
    I think its a retender

  13. Marhalim,
    Another tender is out for 1-tonne GS Kargo for the army under its Mobility Phase 2, for 150 vehicles.. could be new dmax or any other 4×4 to replace the LRs.

    Reply
    Yes I saw that, likely to replace the Landies.

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