The South African Army's extensive search for armored personnel carriers (APCs) for border patrol duties has progressed with the publication of a new invitation to bid by Armscor.
The tender was released on July 23 and seeks proposals for nearly 500 APCs to support both internal and external missions of the South African Army.
The tender specifies three distinct vehicle variants: 210 Section variants, 144 Command variants, and 108 Ambulance variants.
Armscor's preference is for off-the-shelf vehicles that can be adapted with modifications to meet local conditions and specific requirements of the South African Army.
A bidders’ conference is set to take place on July 31 at Armscor, with the deadline for bids falling on August 23. The anticipated delivery date for the vehicles is March 15, 2025.
In the tender document, Armscor specifies that the armored personnel carriers must have a payload capacity of at least 1.5 tons and a maximum gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 13.5 tons.
The vehicles must be air transportable by Ilyushin Il-76 or Airbus A400M aircraft and capable of being transported by ships and flatbed rail containers.
The minimum protection standard required is against kinetic threats up to STANAG 4569 Level 1, which includes protection from small caliber 7.62×51 mm rounds.
The vehicles should also feature fire suppression systems, run-flat tires, and central tire inflation systems (CTIS).
The vehicles must be 4×4, with a road range of at least 600 km, a top speed exceeding 100 km/h on paved surfaces, a cruising speed of 80 km/h, and an average speed of 30 km/h off-road. They should be powered by diesel engines with automatic transmissions and capable of operating in temperatures ranging from -11 to +50 degrees Celsius.
Additional technical requirements include a self-recovery winch, tow hitch, air conditioning, roof hatches, 150 liters of drinking water storage, exterior lighting, a weapon ring mount, and provision for a weapon station (up to 450 kg) on the roof.
The Section variant must accommodate a driver and a crew of ten.
The Command variant needs to be equipped with HF, VHF, and ground-to-air radios, as well as a robust auxiliary power supply system.
The Ambulance variant must include HF and VHF radios, accommodate a driver and medic, and feature a medical compartment with a minimum height of 1.6 meters and width of 1.7 meters. It should also be equipped with a bench, stretcher, and medical equipment, including a defibrillator, suction unit, and oxygen cylinders.
These new APCs are set to replace the existing fleet of troop pack vehicles, which consisted of over 400 Toyota Land Cruisers originally purchased for border patrol duties. National Treasury has allocated R500 million for the 2024/25 fiscal year to fund the procurement of these new vehicles.
