The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has recently acquired six SVI MAX 3 armoured vehicles and various surveillance equipment to enhance its border security operations. The vehicles and equipment are part of a multi-year plan to upgrade the SANDF’s capabilities and resources for border protection.
The six SVI MAX 3 armoured vehicles were delivered to the Joint Operations division of the SANDF earlier this month. Two of them are 4×4 and four are six-wheeled versions, fitted with rear cargo cabins on the loadbed. The six-wheeled version was displayed for the first time at the Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition in Pretoria in September 2022.
Last September, SVI announced that an African nation has initiated the first order for SVI’s all-new six-wheeled MAX 3 armored vehicle, marking the commencement of what SVI is confident will be the first of numerous forthcoming contracts.
According to a report by South African-based DefenceWeb, SVI said these vehicles, intended for non-military applications as general cargo carriers, have just begun production at SVI’s factory east of Pretoria. The manufacturing process is scheduled for completion by February of next year.
The SVI MAX 3 is based on Toyota’s proven Land Cruiser 79 chassis and powered by a 4.5-litre V8 turbodiesel engine, giving a top speed of 120 km/h and burst speed of 140 km/h. The addition of a third axle on the six-wheeler increases the Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) to 6 000 kg, allowing for various military and security applications, such as weapon systems, cargo carrying options and field ambulance configurations. The vehicle also provides a minimum protection level of EN1063 BR6 (assault rifles) with additional protection against anti-personnel grenades. The vehicle is upgradeable to BR7.
The SANDF did not disclose any further details about the vehicle and surveillance equipment deliveries, but they are part of a larger budget allocation for border security technology. Joint Operations has been given additional funding to assist the 15 companies doing border patrol duties on South Africa’s borders. Some of the high technology equipment to be procured or acquired include tactical radios, surveillance equipment for land and sea applications, reliable communications systems, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), geographic information system (GIS) capability, intelligence collection and processing capabilities, upgraded command and control system, radars, observation posts and long range UAVs.
The SANDF also plans to replace the ‘troop pack’ vehicles (currently Toyota Land Cruisers) with off-the-shelf vehicles and armoured personnel carriers (APCs) in the next few years. The APCs would serve with all 15 companies on Operation Corona duty and would have variable ballistic and mine protection, including the ability to defeat an 8 kg mine. The APCs would replace or supplement the existing Mamba and Casspir vehicles.
The SANDF’s border security operations, known as Operation Corona, aim to combat cross-border crimes such as illegal immigration, smuggling, poaching, human trafficking and terrorism. The SANDF has deployed around 2 500 soldiers along the country’s borders with Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The SANDF also cooperates with the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Department of Home Affairs and other law enforcement agencies to ensure effective border management and security.