World Defense Show 2024: New version of Jais Mk2 unveiled

Edge Group has unveiled the upgraded Jais Mk2 MRAP at World Defense Show 2024, completing the overhaul of subsidiary Nimr’s large vehicle line, with Ajban and Hafeet armoured vehicles having already been rolled out in new generation formats.

Jais Mk2 will offer protection for critical systems and improved mobility within the same overall weight class. Featuring a completely new modernised electrical system, a larger payload, increased internal crew capacity, and expanded external storage, its design has prioritised ergonomics according to the vehicle’s manufacturer.

Abri du Plessis, CEO of Nimr, told Shephard that user feedback on the first variant, which has already been in service, was key to the changes introduced.

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“It has improved maintainability and serviceability, a redesigned powerpack and a changed layout,” du Plessis said. “There is always an increased desire for payload and we have worked to reduce the vehicle weight without reducing the level of protection, which is the balancing act.

“The biggest weight saving was in the structural elements of the vehicle,” he noted. “[We refined] and did finite analysis over and over on simple components of the vehicle. This is a tedious process that takes a lot of time to get marginal savings but if you add all of that together it is really quite easy to achieve.

Like the Jais, the Ajban, shown here with S-KAPS protection system, has now entered its second generation. (Photo: Author)

“At a granular level that is what we do,” du Plessis noted. “If you look at a structural element, you see maybe you can make a cut-out of it to save some weight while maintaining the stiffness, strength and longevity.”

The company said that the vehicle has a reduced thermal signature and Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) compliance, elevating overall efficiency and that deliveries began this year after completion of development, testing and production.

The other big improvement has been the electrical system where the entire architecture was replaced to create a new one which has been in common with the company’s other vehicles. It was also in line with the common platform concept, so only small changes needed to be made to meet specific vehicle requirements.

Nimr began looking at how to make vehicles optionally manned and driver assisted or even unmanned several years ago but the acquisition a year ago of a majority in large UGV means the process has jumped ahead a number of years.

Shephard's World Defense Show 2024 coverage is sponsored by: