Denel, Patria sign South African Badger agreement
Denel Land Systems and Patria have entered an agreement regarding the 8x8 armoured wheeled vehicles being delivered to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) under a contract awarded to Denel in October.
Of the 238 vehicles covered by the contract - known as the Badger infantry combat vehicle (ICV) in South Africa and based on the Patria 8x8 Armoured Modular Vehicle - five pre-series vehicles have already been delivered during the development phase.
Under this agreement, the first 16 serial vehicles will be assembled by Patria in Finland, Hämeenlinna; the remaining vehicles will be assembled by Denel Land Systems in South Africa.
Seppo Seppälä , president, Patria Land Systems and Patria Land Services, said: ‘This agreement is a continuation of the good co-operation of the last several years. We have in Patria unique technology, know-how and a proven track record. We simply provide a vehicle with very high standards and we believe that Denel is the best partner to customise the vehicle to meet the unique needs of the SANDF.’
The vehicles are being designed and customised to meet the requirements of the SANDF and the demanding African operating environment. The new fleet will provide troops with advanced protection and mobility, and contribute to the SANDF’s ongoing modernisation efforts.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Project Hoefyster (South Africa)
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
Battle management C2 systems are driving the next phase of integrated air defence
Battlefield and wider air defence C2 systems integrating a range of agnostic sensors have risen in prominence, from Turkey’s Aselsan developing Steel Dome to Northrop Grumman providing its own system to Poland and the US Army.
-
Ireland targets improved anti-drone capability before mid-year ahead of EU presidency
With Ireland's EU presidency set to commence from July this year, the ramped-up efforts to procure a counter-uncrewed aerial system and radar capability under its Military Radar Programme are on track to meet targeted roll-out dates.
-
How and why Europe is replenishing tube artillery in the drone warfare era
Modern conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war have exposed gaps in Western artillery, with European militaries increasingly looking to invest in longer-range systems with a focus on logistics and resilience.