Hauling, Hauling…

SHAH ALAM: Hauling, hauling. Back in October last year, Malaysian Defence reported that the Army took delivery of three Scania prime movers, described by the Army as the Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck- Multi Cargo Palletised System (HEMTT-MCPLS).

Now thanks to Second Division Facebook page we know that the Scania trucks are the Gryphus P124CB 8×8 military trucks. The Scanias are also supplied with the three ISO 20-foot containers; one water bowser, one fuel bowser and one empty container. The truck also has a flat track which allows it to carry the above containers and deployed or recover them by itself without the need for cranes.

From Military Today:

The Scania P124CB 8×8 military trucks have a payload capacity of about 20 t, depending on the version. Vehicles can also tow trailers with a maximum weight of about 30 t. These trucks are available with Multilift load handling systems (LHS), which loads and unloads flatracks rapidly. It is similar in concept to those, used on the British Army’s DROPS and US Army’s PLS systems. It is a versatile logistic support vehicle, capable of transporting large quantities of various loads on and off-road. Some trucks with LHS are also fitted with Hiab material handling crane.

2 Div posting:

𝟕𝟐 𝐁𝐍 𝐊𝐏𝐃 𝐏𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝐊𝐄𝐔𝐏𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐈
TAIPING : Panglima 2 Div, Mej Jen Dato’ Hj Muhammad Huzaimi bin Sabri telah hadir menyaksikan demonstrasi Kenderaan Pengangkut Kargo Kelas Berat iaitu Heavy Expended Mobility Tactical Truck-Multi Cargo Palletised Loading System (HEMTT-MCPLS) bertempat di Garaj Kompeni Angkut 72 Batalion Kor Perkhidmatan Diraja (72 BN KPD) pada 27 Mac 23.
Acara dimulakan dengan ucapan aluan oleh Pegawai Memerintah 72 BN KPD, Lt Kol Norhizuan bin Hasan dan diteruskan dengan penyampaian taklimat berkenaan kenderaan HEMTT-MCPLS oleh Pegawai Pemerintah Kompeni Angkut 72 BN KPD, Mej Mohd Amin bin Mohd Saidi kepada semua penonton yang hadir.
Kenderaan dari jenama Scania Gryphus ini merupakan aset terkini yang terdapat di dalam inventori 72 BN KPD yang baharu diterima pasukan pada 27 Jan 23. Malaysia merupakan negara pengguna kenderaan tersebut yang keempat di dunia dan yang pertama di rantau Asia. Tujuan demonstrasi ini adalah untuk mempamerkan keupayaan kenderaan tersebut di dalam memenuhi keperluan bantuan operasi logistik bagi menjayakan sesebuah misi di dalam ketumbukan formasi 2 Divisyen. Kenderaan ini dibekalkan dengan sebuah Water Bowser, sebuah Fuel Bowser, Flatrack dan sebuah Kontena 20 kaki.
Kemuncak acara diteruskan dengan demonstrasi pelaksanaan menurun dan menaikkan modul water bowser oleh kru kenderaan yang terdiri daripada 3 anggota Lain-lain Pangkat (LLP). Sejurus selepas demonstrasi, Panglima 2 Div turut di bawah melihat bahagian-bahagian lain yang boleh digunakan bersama dengan kenderaan tersebut. Panglima 2 Div turut diberikan peluang untuk melaksanakan sesi pandu uji kenderaan tersebut di Litar Memandu PULMAT.

It is interesting to note that the Army decided to call these vehicles as HEMTT-MCPLS (using the US Army designation for such vehicles instead of DROPS used by the British Army or the Demountable Rack Offload and Pickup System (DROPS).

Anyhow, the PLS allow the military to move equipment and ordnance to where it’s needed quickly and take them back once the mission is completed or the containers are empty. This is a good equipment for the Army as it reduced the manpower and equipment needed to move things around.

It is expensive though. The contract for the three HEMTT-MCPLS was awarded to Fleetsol Sdn Bhd for a RM6.6 letter of award. It is likely the other two Scania trucks are with 3 Div or Markas Pemerintahan Barat with their Angkut units together with the similar containers.

These trucks or similar ones with same loading handling system are especially useful to carry ordnance especially with artillery units. The water and fuel bowsers are also useful for civil-military operations.

The Scanias are replacing similar prime movers with load handling system and containerised equipment such as radio and command control shelters as well catering and laundry containers which were purchased in the early 90s.

— Malaysian Defence

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