SHAH ALAM: Unifil contender out on show. Local company, Mildef International Technologies (Mildef) has publicly unveiled its 4X4 High Mobility Armoured Vehicle (HMAV) today. The armoured 4X4 equipped with a RWS was shown at a media event at its facility in Sepang.
The vehicle according to Mildef
MILDEF has successfully manufactured a 4X4 High Mobility Armoured Vehicle (HMAV) that meets the current United Nations standard and specifications. The rear door design includes a hydraulic system making this fully armoured vehicle highly efficient. The ramp near the door allows the crew to enter and exit the vehicle without any risk of injury falling off.
The weapon platform for this vehicle uses RCWS (Remote Control Weapon Station), ensuring maximum protection for the gun operator. MILDEF acquired exclusive rights to use the Caterpillar Engine, one of the most robust and ruggedized engines in the market for ALANG. This vehicle has been qualified with NATO’s Stanag 4569.
The composite armor is an ideal choice for ballistic protection with Stanag 4569 Level 2 Ballistic & Artillery. This vehicle uses mine-blasts attenuating seats, underbelly protection Stanag 4569 level 2B and hull protection Stanag 4569 level 2A. The power to weight ratio of ALANG is 25hp/ton with maximum speed of 110kph.
Malaysian Defence was invited to the event but due to the MCO and prevailing Covid 19 rates in Selangor, decided that it was much better to report from home. Mildef was formerly known as Kembara Suci which started in 2005 as an MRO shop but later dabbled/ moved towards vehicle manufacturing. Its record here is muddled as the Lipan Bara 4X4 was sold to the Army by Deftech with Kembara Suci initially working with Thailand’s Chaiseri to bring the vehicle locally.
From the picture of the Lipan Bara above, we can surmised that the HMAV is similar apart from the additional doors in the cabin like the Chaiseri’s First Win 4X4 which has five doors.
It is likely that Mildef had proposed the HMAV for the Unifil 4X4 tender last year. I was told by sources that the Defence Ministry tender board is meeting this month and among the agenda is the Unifil 4X4 competition.
Whether or not this means that the contract will be awarded at the meeting is beyond me however. It interesting to note that the sources said so far no firm favourite has emerged from the list of the bidders. Anyhow Happy Chinese New Year for everyone celebrating.
— Malaysian Defence
View Comments (25)
Good design by local company..yes Malaysia can do it (manufacturing weapon locally) but we also need more support from government.
So technically its a lipan bara? Hmmmm..
ALANG tu nama kenderaan ni ke?
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I have no idea whether its a typo or not
A..looks like a slightly redesigned lipan bara for me..so its not not really a locally design hmav..Like many suggested here before, atm should go for additional guardian xtreme..rwcs equipped this time..if possible
Looks promosing. nice design by local company.
Its look like mildef design this hmav themselves..Can Mr M clarify it? If not based on what hmav..
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I could be wrong but I think the chassis is actually the Chaiseri First Win 4X4 with cosmetic changes of the body by MILDEF themselves
Firdaus.
Nowadays not many company design the weapon from the scratch. For lower the risk just take the existing design.
Example just look at Anoa from VAB, Komodo from Sherpa, Thai Black Widow from Terrex, even Terrex design taken from existing design from Timoney company and not to mention Stryker design taken from Canadian LAV design. And yes, try read also Brazilian made Guarani 6x6. If you make some search there a lot of more thing that I've mentioned above.
A - “yes Malaysia can do it (manufacturing weapon locally)”
We have been locally license producing/assembling stuff for decades (starting from when the HK-33s were assembled here in the late 1970’s); stuff which is almost exclusively foreign designed using parts/components which are foreign sourced.
The problem is that we’ve been doing the same thing for decades but have been unable to make the transition from
locally producing/assembling stuff to the point where we can do more; by doing that offering the end user and taxpayer added value in the form of tangible benefits.
A - “we also need more support from government”
That is the main problem : the government unable to commit to large orders on a sustained basis.
Unsurprising however given our long standing deeply flawed and self defeating policy in which the interests of the end user is secondary to that of national interests.
Some things we can and should locally produce/assemble but only if we have economics if scale. The last thing we should do is buy locally and pay more simply to keep the local industry afloat.
The fact that it’s cheaper and faster to buy ammo abroad rather than having it produced locally says it all.
While Cat is more well known in the Americas, in this region Cummins is the American brand to go for diesel engines. It is competitively priced here vs Conti diesels as many ranges of their engines and spareparts are made in China today.
I wonder wether they can install multi weapons turret or rcws such as 25mm, grenade launcher couple with gpmg etc, apart from the 12.7mm browning rcws since it is proposed to replace the Condors which we know have multi weapons capabilities.
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It depends really on the design of the RWS itself. The light weight ones could be used