Johannesburg-based Armormax Defence has officially launched the TAC-6, a 6×6 multi-purpose vehicle that promises to redefine the standards of agility and versatility in both civil and military applications. Originally developed for the French Special Forces, the TAC-6 is now poised to serve a wide array of roles, from firefighting to acting as a weapons carrier.
The TAC-6 is built upon the robust Land Cruiser 79 series, but it has undergone such extensive reengineering that it stands as a significantly more capable machine. The addition of an extra axle not only enhances its offroad agility but also increases its payload capacity to a gross vehicle mass of up to seven tons. Armormax Defence emphasizes that the TAC-6 is over-engineered to guarantee reliability in the most unforgiving environments where failure is not an option.
Michael Broom, Manager of Sales & Marketing at Armormax revealed that the TAC-6’s development was self-funded and initially catered to the French Special Forces before the Covid-19 pandemic caused interruptions. The vehicle’s design is a significant evolution of the 6×6 Land Cruiser variants previously manufactured in South Africa, with notable contributions from Hansie Coetzee of Commander Defence Systems.
A standout feature of the TAC-6 is its OEM-spec eight-speed automatic transmission, developed and homologated by ZF in South Africa and Germany exclusively for this vehicle. This transmission, a departure from the initial manual gearboxes, was chosen to ensure optimal performance in high GVM off-roading conditions.
The TAC-6 boasts the ZF 8HP90 transmission, a core component purpose-built for the vehicle, which remarkably took only nine months to develop. Broom highlighted the vehicle’s comprehensive over-engineering, including the use of gear drives instead of chain drives for the transfer case, which is crafted from aircraft-grade aluminium for maximum strength. Additionally, the TAC-6 employs heavy-duty DANA drive shafts and other standard OEM components to facilitate field servicing and minimize downtime.
With its reinforced design, the TAC-6 can carry a payload of up to 4,400 kg and tow substantial loads. Its mobility is touted as surpassing any full-sized 4-ton truck currently available, a claim backed by over 250,000 km of rigorous testing in various terrains across Africa and Europe.
The TAC-6 is offered in single cab and double cab configurations, serving as a base for numerous modular units tailored for diverse missions. These include personnel carriers, weapons platforms, field workshops, and even water purification plants. Armormax Defence has already produced several versions of the TAC-6 and is working on an armoured personnel carrier variant, among others.
In terms of protection, Armormax offers various armour packages for the TAC-6, including STANAG Level I vehicle armour capable of stopping shell fragments and bullets from 7.62 mm and 5.56 mm firearms. The vehicle employs lightweight armour and 40 mm ballistic glass to replace the original windows.
The TAC-6 is marketed both within South Africa and internationally, with Armormax Defence identifying a larger market potential overseas due to the abundance of defence contracts. However, a secondary civilian and agricultural market is also anticipated locally.
The TAC-6 is designed for military deployment, including transport in a standard 20-foot ISO shipping container for ease and discretion. It can be equipped with a range of weapons, from light machineguns to anti-tank missiles, and has been tested with various weapon stations and turrets.
Stability is a crucial factor for both on and off-road operations, and the TAC-6 platform has harnessed the power of a third axle to deliver unrivalled stability under heavy loads. This ingenious design eliminates the need for heavy-duty anti-sway bars, allowing the axles to articulate freely and maintain optimal traction on challenging terrains. Off-road, the platform’s chassis remains flatter, reducing roll and ensuring maximum stability, even in the most demanding situations. On-road, corners and crosswinds are handled with ease, as the third axle minimizes chassis roll, providing an unwavering and secure driving experience.
As Armormax Defence prepares for the Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition in September.
The cost of the base conversion for a manual gearbox starts at R1.5 million (excluding the base vehicle itself) while armouring options for STANAG Level 1 start at R850,000 ($44,551.83) and a lightweight, discreet armouring package starts at R880,000 ($45,608.10) or R1.3 million ($67,375.60) for B4 and B6 levels of armour respectively. Multiple-vehicle orders reduce the production costs and timeline significantly and will result in a retail pricing reduction, Armormax Defence pointed out.
The ZF eight speed automatic gearbox can also be sold and fitted separately to any Land Cruiser 79 4.5 litre diesel V8 at a cost of R440,000 ($22,804.05).