SHAH ALAM: Out-going Army chief Gen TS Mohammad Ab Rahman said today that the decision to purchase to 136 4X4 and wheeled SPH has been passed to the Defence Ministry for further action. He said this after his farewell parade at the Sungai Besi camp.
Mohammad is scheduled to be appointed as the 22nd Armed Forces Chief on September 6 (tomorrow) replacing retiring General TS Affendi Buang. Mohammad was appointed as the Army chief last March.
Deputy Army chief Lt General Hafizuddeain Jantan will be promoted to a four star and appointed as the 30th Army chief. He took over the deputy chief post last April. The deputy post will be taken over by Lt Gen Tengku Muhammad Fauzi Tengku Ibrahim. Fauzi is currently the Western Field Command commander. He will be replaced by Second Division commander Maj General Muhammad Huzaimi Sabri who will get the third star for the post.
Both the 4X4 and SPH procurement is expected to be completed by this December, according to Muhammad. He said the procurement of the 4X4 vehicles also include new infrastructure for the R0yal Armoured Corps. The leased Black Hawk helicopters are also set to be delivered by year end, Mohammad added.
The number of 4X4 to be procured is certainly much lower as mentioned by Malaysian Defence previously.
Despite the positive tone of the statement from the outgoing Army chief as Malaysian Defence previously wrote that the procurement will depend on the appointment of a new secretary-general or KSU of the Defence Ministry.
The current acting KSU do not have the legal authority to sign off both procurement project or any other major ones for that matter.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (44)
We should go big-small like the french army. Get a regiment of tanks paired to those 4x4 for the Medan Timur. Upgraded T72s will do.
Of course the infantry should also be supplied with MR-atgms
Im guessing the SPH is Caesar and 4x4 is Nimr Abjan?
I kinda confused now..so many requirement..That said 134 4x4 is for light tactical vehicle requirement right?..Right now we can assume that this 4x4 LTV is THE so called condor replacement? no? without 6x6 at all ( or the army doesnt want 6x6 from the beginning )?
The 4X4 is for the NMLTV requirement, the 6X6 is pending though may not be funded, depending on who you talk to.
CMIIW
1)
Even Army dubbed this program as Light Tactical Vehicle but Nimr Ajban 4x4 (if choosen) is not the same type as existing light tactical vehicle in army's inventory such as Uro Vamtac, Cendana Auto and Weststar GK-M1 right?
This because Nimr Ajban 4x4 is 'Kenderaan Jenis A' which is armoured type vehicle compared to soft skin Vamtac, Cendana and Weststar.
2)
Is this this Light Tactical Vehicle program different with Tarantula 4x4 program?
Yes, the NMLTV will be a Kenderaan Jenis A or armoured. This is the programme that Tarantula is gunning for.
I am now confused. The Tarantula is a 4x4 infantry mobility vehicle just like the Bushmaster. The Ajban is a light tactical vehicle only. They are different and each has a different role, so why not both?
The Army wants a light tactical vehicle for recce which was done by the Ferret in the past.
Tarantula can fit 8...a section. The Nimr Abjan can only fit 6.
The requirement is for a light tactical vehicle for recce.
Mentioned before, the 4x4 requirement is a Ferret type replacement but we have MRAP type vehicles in the mix which makes the requirements more like Condor replacements one day and Ferret replacements another day. Is it a HMMVV type vehicle, or a MRAP type vehicle for the 4x4 requirement? The HMMVV is lighter, lower profile, cheaper, primarily meant for general mobility - can be configured easily, including for reconnaissance. The MRAP is a lighter version of a standard APC/IFV, hence it is higher visibility, heavier, more survivable and heavier armed than a HMMVV type vehicle - more suited to patrols and combat operations. Or no one really knows anymore what the actual requirement is.
Twitter: marhalimabas
says:
5 SEPTEMBER 2023 AT 6:16 PM
The requirement is for a light tactical vehicle for recce.
Oh, that’s bad news for the Tarantula then, maybe the Rentaka is a possibility as well as the Ajban?
If you read my DSA posts, you will remember that initially I wrote that the Rentaka was the one that was being offered for the NMLTV requirement instead of the Tarantula. In subsequent posts, I wrote that the Tarantula was back in the mix. I am aware of the reason but cannot say it here for reasons.
In layman terms
Rentaka is the ideal size, but wrong protection level (it is actually designed to civilian/police protection spec)
Tarantula has the wanted protection level, but is the wrong size.
Original MRAP is huge due to the want for maximum protection from mines and IED when fighting insurgents and non-state actors. Latest armor tech like honeycomb floors and metal foam armor has given same amount of mine protection as old tall and heavy V-floor MRAP.
Mines and IED are usually problems for an invading force fighting long term on foreign land. We actually need to be a defending force, fighting on our own territory. Instead of having armored vehicles that have high level of mine and IED protection, actually we need to be the force that will use and be an expert in mine and IED to defend our territory from invading IFV and MBT.
"the decision to purchase has been passed to the Defence Ministry for further action"
Basically he has washed his hands from any trouble might come now that he has retired.
But wow, a double promotion in less than 6 months. Even in private sector is quite unheard of.
He is promoted lah