SHAH ALAM: The Home Ministry has issued a tender for the supply and delivery of four armoured personnel carriers (APC) for the General Operation Force (GOF). The tender was published today June 16 and will closes on July 26.
It must be noted that back in 2020 the then-IGP told the media that the PDRM units -meaning GOF- operating in ESSCOM AOR in Sabah need 18 APCs to conduct their operations there. It was reported that year the GOF units in ESSCOM AOR were equipped with 12 armoured vehicles – four Barracudas 4X4, four Shorland Land Rovers and four IAG Jaws 4X4s.
The government back in the late 70 procured some 138 units of Commando V-150 and 44 AT-105 Sankey armoured vehicles for the six armoured squadrons of the then Field Police Force which was later renamed as the GOF in the early 2000s. It is unclear how many of these vehicles remained in service though it is likely around two-dozen.
Perhaps, the four vehicles being sought in this tender is the first batch of the replacement units, especially for the Shorland Land Rovers, though it is unlikely the numbers will be as high as those bought in the 1970s.
In 2014, the government bought two Streit Typhoon MRAP and another 15 IAG JAWs armoured 4X4s were bought in 2015. The Typhoons and most of the JAWs – apart from the four in Sabah – are currently operated by the PDRM special forces operators, the UTK and VAT 69.
Anyhow, the tender specification called for an APC with a turbo-diesel engine with no less than 4,500cc; with a maximum power of 250hp at 2,600rpm; power to weight ratio of 25 tonne to the gross vehicle weight; maximum torque of 700nm at 1,600 – 2,600rpm and uses an engine using at minimum Euro 3 diesel engine. The specifications are mandatory according to the public portion of the tender.
Other specifications include all around protection from 7.62mm and 5.56mm ammunition; can carry eight passengers including the driver; monocoque chassis; equipped with five doors and equipped with strobe and flash LED lights. Like those above, these specifications are mandatory and non compliance will be rejected.
Apart from a single test vehicle, the bidder must also provide training for drivers and technicians as well as the cost to transport the vehicles across the peninsula and also Sabah and Sarawak.
Based on the above the specifications, I believe something similar to the Typhoon and IAG Guardian MRAPs may well be the most suitable vehicle to enter for this tender. The JAWs are too small based on the above specifications.
— Malaysian Defence
No requirement for the vehicle to be armed?
What happened to MILDEF Rentaka then?
Don’t know, they can try to bid for it, of course
Going through the requirements.
The most difficult is IMO the requirement for a monocoque chassis.
This will rule out most of MRAP and police-type armoured vehicles aout there.
Barracuda is built on a Unimog chassis.
IAG Jaws on a toyota landcruiser chassis
IAG Guardian on ford F550 chassis
The old Sankey is on a Bedford M-series truck chassis.
Lipanbara is on unidentified ladder chassis.
The old Condor APC is an example of monocoque armoured chassis.
One of a few new MRAP with monocoque chassis is the Streit Typhoon. Probably what the UTK want is actually additional streit typhoons.
Nope but it should have an opening on top just like the Streit Typhoon
For me the highly pertinent question is what roles are police AFVs or MRAPS intended to perform?
In the past the requirement was for a vehicle which could provide escort protection and fire support; the reason the V-100/50s had 20mm guns [albeit with no ammo but that’s another story]. If the requirement is to provide some level of protection then a MRAP the likes of Tarantula or Lipsnbara will suffice.
Seems we are sourcing our APC from variety of sources albeit in small numbers compared to the 70s & 80s scenarios. This is not economically feasibly in my opinion as this will be a logistical nightmares for all the reasons we are all aware of. Operationally will leave it to everyone’s argument.
Both the Tarantula and Lipanbara, I believed were built on a ladder frame chassis. The tender document specifically said monocoque chassis.
The Lenco BearCat seems ideal but since it is based on a commercial truck chassis, I don’t think it meets the requirement.
18 was needed, 12 given, and another 4, so left 2 to fulfill their needs.
Anyhow with such strict & specific requirements, there can only be a handful that might meet them and Im guessing PDRM already knew what they wanted and the tender is just a formality.