The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has recently announced a significant enhancement to the Mamba armoured personnel carrier (APC), a staple in the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF) peacekeeping operations. This upgrade, focusing on the Mk II and Mk III versions, addresses vulnerabilities by adding a manually operated turret and a ballistically protected grille to the vehicle’s design.
According to South Africa’s defenceWeb, the new turret offers a full 360-degree firing arc with 36 indexing points, allowing for precise targeting. This feature marks a substantial improvement over the previous restricted firing capabilities. The turret also shields the gunner with side protection and a collapsible canvas roof for weather defense. Compatible with existing SANDF weapon mounts, it can accommodate standard-issue 7.62 and 12.7 mm machine guns. The turret’s design includes an adjustable sling seat to cater to the gunner’s height, weighing in at a total of 320 kg.
The CSIR conducted extensive testing to ensure that the new grille would not hinder the radiator’s airflow. The upgraded Mambas, delivered to the SANDF in 2022, have been deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), contributing to the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO) and the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC).
The CSIR’s innovation extends beyond this project, with a history of developing advanced systems for armoured vehicles. These include an optically-based gunshot and missile detection system, a panoramic surveillance system, and a modular add-on armour package designed to shield against explosive attacks, particularly from explosively formed projectiles or shaped charges.
Revitalizing the SANDF Fleet
In parallel efforts, the SANDF has revitalized a fleet of inoperable military vehicles, a critical boost to the army’s capabilities. This refurbishment, carried out at De Brug Army Base, involved comprehensive repairs, repainting, and rigorous testing to return the vehicles to serviceable condition.
The SANDF’s vehicle maintenance program received a substantial contribution from Cuban military technicians, who assisted in refurbishing over 10,000 Samil and similar vehicles. Despite these efforts, the SANDF faces financial hurdles in modernizing its Samil truck fleet. Project Phalama, led by Armscor, aims to replace these trucks with next-generation support vehicles by 2030. However, funding shortfalls have placed this R13 billion project at high risk, casting uncertainty over the future of the SANDF’s operational readiness.
This comprehensive upgrade package by the CSIR represents a strategic enhancement of the SANDF’s peacekeeping capabilities, ensuring that South Africa remains at the forefront of defence technology and readiness.
Meanwhile, the SANDF continues its search for new armoured personnel carriers (APCs) to enhance border patrol capabilities, Over a dozen local companies received invitations from Armscor to submit their APCs for testing and functional evaluation along the border in October last year.
More recently, the SANDF has 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.