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2021-11-03

Paramount Bolsters Protection Levels of Mbombe 4 Armoured Vehicle

Global aerospace and technology company, Paramount Group, has developed a new add-on armour for its next generation Mbombe 4 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), resulting in some of the highest levels of protection that can be achieved globally by an armoured vehicle in its class.

Designed and developed specifically for local manufacturing from within customer countries, in response to the increasing requirement from governments for the development of their own defence industrial capabilities, the Mbombe 4 was originally launched onto the global market in 2019.

Meeting the growing demands of modern warfare, the Mbombe 4 has successfully completed a series of extreme trials with several armed forces around the world, securing orders from a Middle Eastern country and a partnership with India’s industrial giant, Bharat Forge, for the in-country production of its localised variant, the Kalyani, for the Indian Army.

Recognised as one of the best protected armoured vehicles in the world, the newly tested and certified add-on armour increases the Mbombe 4’s protection to cover all Level 3 threats within NATO STANAG 4569, a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) standardisation agreement that institutes world-leading benchmarks for occupant protection.

Designed to be quickly replaceable in the field, the add-on armour provides a lightweight shielding system that adds the least possible weight to the vehicle while providing maximum security against multi-hit ballistic threats, artillery shell fragments, and close proximity improvised explosive device (IED) explosions, as examples.

Final Certification

The Mbombe 4 received its final certification after successfully completing a series of independently conducted blast tests designed and executed by the Landward Sciences division of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa’s leading and independent scientific research body.

In the case of Mbombe 4, blast tests included two 10 kg TNT explosions under the wheels and the hull, and one 50kg side blast test carried out at a five metre distance, to simulate an IED.

This development of enhanced add-on armour is the latest in a series of announcements regarding the exceptional performance of the Mbombe 4 and its rollout across strategic partner countries globally.

The latter has been made possible through Paramount Group’s 27-year history of championing portable manufacturing and co-operation in establishing indigenous production capabilities.

Paramount Group Land Systems Executive Chairman, John Craig, elaborated: “The Mbombe 4 is the result of decades of real-world battlefield experience and the company’s commitment to perpetual innovation. Providing next-generation survivability and mission efficiency is a cornerstone of our land systems division. We are dedicated to continually researching and developing highly-customised solutions to meeting the asymmetrical security challenges of 2021 and beyond. This is a mission imperative to our business and one that has ensured steady growth in our partnerships worldwide.”

The key features of Mbombe 4 include Paramount Group-pioneered flat-floor mine protection technologies and a distinct, rear-door ramp design. The ease of access provided by the rear-door ensures the rapid deployment of the crew while the vehicle is static or on the move.

The Mbombe 4 performs with a burst speed of 140km/hr, an 800km operating range and sports an independent suspension system designed to optimally meet the increasing demand for outstanding protection with versatility.

The vehicle has an ‘in-line’ automotive driveline configuration, positioning the powerpack at the front of the vehicle and along its centre line, resulting in greater efficiency in the transfer of power from the powerpack to the wheels.

Paramount Group’s mine resistant carrier is both affordable and adaptable over challenging terrains; the vehicle is equally well suited to engage in counter-terrorism, border patrol, counter-insurgency, internal security and peacekeeping missions.

African-based Paramount Group is a leader in defence and security innovation and is a trusted partner to sovereign governments across the globe.

The company specialises in the creation of portable manufacturing facilities through technology and skills transfer, resulting in new local capabilities and sustainable jobs, proven to not only benefit local defence industrial capabilities but economic diversification and growth.

The Group has been responsible for the development and production of a broad range of highly advanced armoured and mine protected vehicles that are in operation around the world. The family of armoured personnel carrier (APC) and combat vehicles developed from clean-sheet design are at the vanguard of armoured vehicle technologies.

These vehicles have been developed to meet the increasing demand for multi-role, high mobility, and mine hardened platforms, providing a solution to the changing demands of the global battlefield.

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