SHAH ALAM: 3 KAD – the last KAD regiment without armoured vehicles after it retired the Condors in early 2023 – has taken delivery of the Gempita 8X8 vehicles. A parade was held on August 26 to mark the entry of the Gempita into regiment.
3 KAD is based at the Kem Lapangan Terbang Sungai Petani, Kedah which also houses several other Army units including 19 RAMD which also operates the Gempita.
The Gempita operated by 3 KAD, was acquired from 2 KAD – based at Kem Sunggala, Port Dickson in Negri Sembilan. 2 KAD itself got the Gempita from 1 KAD. It is unclear how many Gempita are now in service with 3 KAD but from pictures it is around 14 – ten ACV-30s and the other four are one command, engineering, surveillance, and ambulance vehicles. It is likely the ten ACV-30s and one command vehicle are part of one squadron, while the rest are with the regiment’s headquarters company.
This is a similar number of Gempita operated by 4 KAD in Kuching, Sarawak since November last year. 4 KAD however has an extra vehicle, the 30-tonne Volvo Heavy Armoured Recovery Vehicle. Yes, the Volvo wrecker has been up-armoured, becoming the sole wheeled wrecker which is armoured.
As 19 RAMD operate from the same camp is equipped with the wrecker, though from a different site, 3 KAD could always ask for help from them.
As we do not have enough Gempita to fully equip the armoured regiments, the Army plan to buy the High Mobility Armoured Vehicle (HMAV) for them. The plan to buy them was announced by PMX in his budget speech last year but the tender for them has not been announced yet.
On paper, a KAD regiment has one headquarter’s company with three or four squadrons (called company in infantry battalion) with each squadron having three troops and one headquarters. On paper, a KAD regiment should have around sixty armoured vehicles with a similar number of soft skin vehicles. An engineering batalion is also attached to the regiment to maintain the vehicles, electronics, and guns.
The release from 3 KAD.
𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐍 𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐀𝐍 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐈 (𝐊𝐏) 𝟖𝐗𝟖 𝐆𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐀
SUNGAI PETANI, 26 OGOS 2024: Panglima 2 Divisyen, Mej Jen Dato’ Azhan bin Hj Md Othman telah menyaksikan acara Perbarisan Pengoperasian Kenderaan Perisai (KP) 8X8 GEMPITA Rejimen Ketiga Kor Armor Diraja di Padang Kawad Rejimen Ketiga Kor Armor Diraja, Kem Lapangan Terbang, Sungai Petani, Kedah.
Perbarisan yang berkekuatan seramai 11 Peg dan 163 LLP dimulakan dengan gimik pergerakan masuk Kenderaan Perisai (KP) 8X8 GEMPITA dan anggota perbarisan sebelum diteruskan dengan pemeriksaan barisan oleh YBhg Panglima 2 Divisyen dengan menaiki Kenderaan Perisai (KP) 8X8 GEMPITA Armoured Command Vehicle (ACV).
Perbarisan yang diketuai oleh Mejar Manivel a/l Letchumanan, Pemimpin Skuadron Alpha merupakan acara simbolik untuk lakaran sejarah 3 KAD apabila Tentera Darat telah bersetuju perpindahan Kenderaan Perisai (KP) 8X8 GEMPITA daripada Pasukan 2 KAD kepada Pasukan 3 KAD bagi menampung keperluan operasi, latihan dan mengekalkan kompitensi krew 3 KAD.
Upacara perbarisan ini turut menyaksikan acara pemasangan formasi 2 Divisyen dan 3 KAD oleh YBhg Panglima 2 Divisyen sebagai simbolik perasmian Pengoperasian Kenderaan Perisai (KP) 8X8 GEMPITA. Dalam ucapan beliau menyatakan harapan agar penerimaan Kenderaan Perisai (KP) 8X8 GEMPITA ini dapat meningkatkan lagi kompitensi Krew pasukan 3 KAD. Beliau juga mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Jabatan Arah Armor kerana telah menaja kertas kerja dalam Mesyuarat JKKOTD pada bulan Feb yang lepas bagi perpindahan Kenderaan Perisai (KP) 8X8 GEMPITA tersebut.
Upacara berakhir dengan YBhg Panglima 2 Divisyen dan isteri, Datin Noor Ainy binti Hj Mohd Ali telah diarak menggunakan Kenderaan Perisai (KP) 8X8 GEMPITA (ACV) oleh seluruh warga 3 KAD sebagai tanda penghormatan dan penghargaan merasmikan Perbarisan Pengoperasian Kenderaan Perisai (KP) 8X8 GEMPITA pasukan 3 KAD.
3 KAD had to rely on soft-skin vehicles prior to getting the Gempita.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (36)
Nice Now Which KAD are still without proper number of armor vehicles? and how about that HMLTV/HMAV and adnan slep tender? when they will come out?
All done now
I wish there is a clearer history of the gempita saga with 3 KAD.
As early as 2018, the 3 KAD actually already equipped with the gempita
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GWxkktda8AAyBG0.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GWxkTLGXwAARICu.jpg
Then it was taken away from them. Now in 2024 it is given back to them.
3 KAD currently consists of
- Skn Markas
- Skn Alpha (now with Gempita)
- Skn Bravo
- Skn Charlie
- Support Skn
- 33 Skn Worksyop Armor
- Skn Delta (AW)
From previous posts here, 4 KAD received about 26 Gempita's
The available gempita's for the cavalry regiments are
78x IFV30
54x LCT30 (Ingwe)
24x SURV VINGTAQs
If divided by 5 regiments, each regiment would have
15-16x IFV30
10-11x LCT30
4x SURV VINGTAQs
basically each would have about 30 Gempita’s.
That is probably enough to equip 2x Squadrons in the Regiment. So the the 3rd operational squadron, and the support squadron would be equipped with around 30 4x4 Armored Reconnaissance Vehicles. Around 150 vehicles needed.
As for the kembalik, that armored volvo is totally different than the 2 unarmored ones. It is not converted from those 2 received from Australia
so currently there are 3 different types of Volvo FMX kembalik in army service
1) 3 axle version (as seen in Lebanon)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fr4i6J-acAAzvSN.jpg
2) 4 axle version no armor (2 units from Australia)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fp8yEwGaQAE_WNd.jpg
3) 4 axle version with armor and dozer blade (8-10? units from UK with armored cabin from Turkiye)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fp9SvDaaYAEKD11.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GM-MmE1bMAAYSyt.jpg
Picture of the trucks in UK before installing armored cabin and dozer blade
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GM-QcisbMAEevjK.jpg
you can see the ladder chassis extends over the front bumper , to attach to the dozer blade
I believe now there is no recovery/kembalik version of the Gempita built (only fitter version), instead replaced with the Volvo FMX kembalik's.
From this parade picture
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/457046626_900185818655123_1616722175091694478_n.jpg
- 10x IFV30
- 1x SURV VINGTAQ
- 1x Command
- 1x Ambulance
- 1x Fitter
What's about 5 KAD? AFAIK they only equip with 20 lipan bara. Why not 19 Ramd give half of the gempita to 3 KAD. From the marhalim post before,19 Ramd equip with at least with 47+ gempita.
19 RAMD is a storied unit, which won battle honours. 5 KAD is a newly created unit. Not a problem though as 19 RAMD is to be transferred to Sabah once its camp in Kota Belud is completed. Perhaps they will sent 5 KAD to Semenanjung and take over the 19 RAMD camp in Sg Petani.
So the 19 RAMD move to Sabah is official?
5 KAD IMO will remain in Sabah. I would like to see it equipped similarly to the rest of the KAD Cavalry Regiments.
Currently every division (except central 4th Division) has at least 1 RAD Cavalry regiment.
1 KAD is attached directly to 4th Mechanised Brigade, so 3rd Division has 2 RAD Cavalry regiments.
What I would like to see is a mechanized regiment set up in Sarawak too. Ideally it would be similarly equipped like 19 RAMD. But if cannot, used KIFVs from South Korea would be okay. Buy extra so we can have plenty of attrition reserves of KIFVs.
Of course it is. 1 KAD and 4th Mechanised is also under 3 DIV as well with 11 KAD. I am not sure about 2 KAD really, it may well be under the 3 DIV as well as 4 DIV is a garrison division.
What I read from the news, right now under 5 division combat elements that station in Sabah beside 5KAD that use 20 lipan bara as skuadron armour in Kota belud there are one company of gempita from 19ramd,12 vehicles had been sent to Sabah in 2015 station at Sandakan and one company of mifv from 12 ramd,18 vehicles station in lahad datu.
Budget has been approved for the hmltv. Wonder what's the delay in the procurement process? In government cash accounting the money is already there.
Technically, they can hold back the procurement to next year and it will still be part of the RMK12...
The HMLTV once procured would be send off straight to lubnan rights?
Also guessing we would be buying a prototype right? Since the only HMLTV type vehicles that's I know in active services is only the JLTV and hawkei.
There are the Turkish and UAE ones. Yes they are supposed to replace and augment the soft skin vehicles there including the FFR. That was the plan anyhow.
Yes like Nurol Yoruk/NMS and NIMR Ajban right?..How about KIA KLTV/Raycolt?..NMS also currently being tested.And how about that HMAV tender then? as far as i undestand the future HMAV eventually will equip KAD too right? MILDEF HMLTV still not out from contention right?
Yes on both but also likely Streit and IAG vehicles will also be in the mix.
Yes, the Mildef vehicle should be in contention too. Not sure about KLTV though. Yes HMAV will equip KAD regiments.
Ideally the vehicle chosen should be common with what we will use here, but like UNFIL Edjer Yalcin, its likely will be spending its whole service life in Lebanon and finally scrapped/donated in situ. So there is little point for commonisation in this case. More importantly whats selected for us is what have met all (or at least most) of the criteria.