SHAH ALAM: Chief of Defence Forces General Nizam Jaffar has announced that the Malaysian contingent in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) take delivery of the new High Mobility Light Tactical Vehicle (HMLTV) at the earliest, the middle of next year.
He said the number of HMLTV to be delivered was sixty. He said the delivery of the vehicles will put the Malaysian contingent on par with other contingents in Unifil. Malbatt 13 will likely be the unit to operate the new vehicles as the current unit duties – Malbatt 12 – end this November or October. If there is no delays in signing the contract of course..
He did not say what HMLTV has been selected though. General Nizam was speaking to the Malaysian Armed Forces public relations team who accompanied the CDF during his three-day visit to Lebanon starting on April 2.
Malbatt 12 currently operates the IAG Guardian and Nurol Makina Panthera as its patrol vehicles with the Cendana Auto Fitted For Radio (FFR) vehicles supplementing them as well. It is likely that HMLTV will replaced the Cendana Auto FFR as it is supposed to carry the communication equipment like the former.
The HMLTV specifications call it to be a smaller armoured 4X4 vehicle capable of carrying five people compared to the much bigger Guardian and Panthera. It may well be equipped with a RWS like the Panthera though likely equipped with a light machine gun – FN MAG – compared to the 50 caliber Browning machine gun on the Turkish-made vehicles.
Checks with Eperolehan and industry sources showed there were no contracts issued to any company for the HMLTV as yet. That said it is likely a tender for the HMLTV will be issued soon. Based on the timeline as stated by the CDF, only foreign manufacturers like IAG and Nurol Makina, will be able to meet the delivery deadline. Even then, it is likely they will only be able to deliver the vehicles in batches of 10 or 20 vehicles at a time.
The other armoured vehicle being sought by the Army is the High Mobility Armoured Vehicles (HMAV). If the HMLTV tender is issued, it is likely the HMAV one will follow suit.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (8)
We've come up with all these acronyms; many of which are unique to us.
They came up the acronym from JLTV which was the benchmark.
The more logical thing is to buy more Nurol Makina right?
Not really, as the requirement is for something smaller. That said Nurol Makina also produced the NMS, which meets the requirements.
The Cendana auto, although it looks tough and futuristic, is actually very dangerous for its users in conflict situations like the lebanon.
You do not want to look like an armoured vehicle when i reality you are soft skinned. Other UNIFIL units such as the Irish uses discreet fully armoured land cruisers that looks totally stock outside so not to tell everyone that it is armoured. Even then they are being shot at.
Malbatt has been lucky so far that the cendana auto just hit by rocks, not being shot at.
Which is why they are replacing the cendana autos with real armoured vehicles. I have previously spoken out about this vulnerability, and it is good that they are finally doing something about it.
Since its for Unfil I believe it will be NMS and I believe its CBU from the OEM factory. Not only will it have some commonality with the Panteras (same make), it will also have cheaper logistics shipping from Turkey rather than HMLTV which to be local assembly in Msia. However I dont believe HMLTV for Leb will have significant bearing on HMLTV decision for domestic use unless Nurol partners up for local assembly here. Even if the same vehicle is chosen I doubt will spec up the same as RWS is expensive to equip on every car unlike UN paying for Unfil units like Panteras.
Speaking of Panteras since now in use, when are we shipping back the Guardians? Or are we sending the Saktis to haul them back?
They need the HMLTV there first before they can send the Guardians back. That said that WAS the previous plan might change now.
Oh I see. I was under the impression the Panteras was to replace Guardians (because it was deemed by UN to be operationally unsuitable).