Paramount Group enhances Mbombe 4 protection

South Africa-based Paramount Group announced on 18 October that it has developed a new add-on armour for its next-generation Mbombe 4 IFV, 'resulting in some of the highest levels of protection that can be achieved globally by vehicles in its class'.

Designed to be quickly replaceable in the field, the add-on armour provides a lightweight shielding system that adds the least possible weight to the vehicle while providing maximum security (all Level 3 threats within NATO STANAG 4569) against multi-hit ballistic threats, artillery shell fragments and close proximity IED explosions.

It received its final certification after completing a series of independently conducted blast tests designed and executed by the Landward Sciences division of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa’s leading and independent scientific research body.

Blast trials included two 10 kg TNT explosions under the wheels and the hull and one 50kg side blast test carried out at a 5 m distance, to simulate an IED.

Shephard Defence Insight notes that Mbombe 4 shares up to 80% of its components with the 6x6 and 8x8 versions of the Mbombe family