Does SAF Need 4 X 4 Light Armor Vehicles ?

Sepecat SG

SAF has lots of armor such as M113s , Bronco, Bionix, etc but not in the light armor 4 X 4 class.

Wud'nt lightly armored 4 X 4s instead of soft skinned Land Rovers for example be more appropriate in battle zones for general liaison and patrol duties ? They shud be resistant to small arms fire and the smaller mines. Also, in some scenarios, smaller lightly armored vehicles are more useful than large AFVs.

Any opinions why SAF do not have vehicles in this class ?

sgstars SG

dosent the LSV / jeep count as a light 4X4 strike vehicle ?

but i do think we could do with some uparmoured 4X4 strike vehicles thought if the iraq experience is anything to go by.

maybe because of the mechanization efforts ? no need to spend on something which will likely be used as a interim capability replacement ? afterall a terrex equivalent will provide much higher levels of protection

slim10 SG

SAF did start replacing their land rover ambulance with ST's ford ambulance.

ST has the super ugly LAMs...

http://www.stengg.com/CoyCapPro/detail.aspx?pdid=274

ditzy SG

Either you go all the way, or don't go at all. SAF chose not to go at all.

Obersturmfuhrer SG

I suspect a phobia caused by the V200s.

sgstars SG

I suspect a phobia caused by the V200s.

can elaborate more bro ? interesting.

is it maintainence intensive or the weight of the additional armour causes structural cracks or something ?

@Slim10

from what i heard, its not replacing the Land rover ambulance. its just replacing some of the older more worn out command Land rovers.

the back has issues accommodating alot of things. especially signal sets. army increasingly replacing the LR ambulance with the big box Ford ambulance. not everest. That conversion was done by STK using a commercial ford platform. i saw several unfinished examples when passing by boon lay

but then again, i dont think the Everest will replace the LR 1-1. i mean, with infantry mechanization and all that, i think we might acquire something that is 4X4 but with heavier armour like maybe the JLTV or a up armoured LSV ?

I_love_my_toilet SG

how light armor is light armor ?

caleb_chiang SG

Got wat... land rover, jeep, 1.5tonne all got 4x4 wat... what talking you?

Sepecat SG

SAF 's LSV, Land Rovers, Everest .................. etc are all softskinned - unarmored.

I believe liaison & patrol duties in rear echelon areas require some lightly armored 4 X 4 vehicles. SAF may not consider having MRAP type vehicles, but imagine commanders for example moving around in softskinned vehicles such as Land Rovers or patrols conducted using Land Rovers - its just too easy for anyone with a small arm to inflict casualties. Also, often it may be not practical to move around in highly armored & heavy AFVs . The large AFVs may just be too heavy or big to move in certain locations.

slim10 SG

can elaborate more bro ? interesting.

is it maintainence intensive or the weight of the additional armour causes structural cracks or something ?

@Slim10

from what i heard, its not replacing the Land rover ambulance. its just replacing some of the older more worn out command Land rovers.

An ambulance will not replace a command land rover. There's also bronco ambulances as well...