Mamba APC Information

The Mamba is a South African armoured personnel carrier designed for internal security purposes. It was developed during the late 1980s to replace the Buffel in service with the South African military and security forces. The first models were built on a 4X2 Toyota Dyna chassis, which was subsequently replaced in production around 1994 by a more reliable Unimog chassis. All marks of the Mamba were designed to be mine-resistant and blastproof.

The South African Army issued a requirement for a new armoured vehicle in 1987 capable of a wide variety of roles, namely border protection and internal security. The Mamba Mk1 was developed the following year and utilised the chassis of a Toyota Dyna 4X2 truck. A number were accepted into service between 1990 and 1994.

After 1994, the Mamba utilised a Unimog truck chassis for better off-road performance and ground clearance. The first units were derived from surplus Buffel vehicles. Its V-shaped hull is designed to deflect a mine blast away from the occupants. It is powered by a 352N Mercedes Benz 6-cylinder diesel engine. The Mamba entered service in 1995, and is still in use with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and several other countries. The SANDF now uses the Mamba Mk2 and Mamba Mk3 versions, with 600 Mk2s upgraded to Mk3 configuration.

The Mamba is 546 centimetres (215 in) in length, 220.5 centimetres (86.8 in) in width, and has a height of 249.5 centimetres (98.2 in). The four-wheeled vehicle can carry up to 10 passengers, excluding the driver. A roof hatch allows a gunner to use the weapon mount, which can be equipped with a 12.7 mm machine gun. A large door at the rear of the vehicle provides access to the passengers and crew. The Mk3 features better ballistic protection over the Mk2 – the latter can withstand impacts from up to 7.62×51mm NATO rounds, while the former is capable of handling 5.56×45mm NATO impacts. The Mk3 is also lighter, more stable, has lower operating costs and comes with an 8-speed transmission compared to the 4-speed transmission of the Mk2. However, the Mk3 has a range of only 650 kilometres (400 mi) whereas the Mk2 has a range of 900 kilometres (560 mi). The Mamba also provides protection against mines of up to 7 kilograms (15 lb). It has four-wheel drive capability, and can achieve a top speed of 102 kilometres per hour (63 mph). Apart from the APC role, the vehicle may also be used as an ambulance, a command vehicle, a VIP transport, or a logistics vehicle. The newest Mamba, the Mk5, is manufactured by N4-Trucks in South Africa, and delivers 240 hp (176Kw) from a water-cooled Iveco engine, a range over 600 km, over 4,500 kg payload, and a B7 ballistic protection versus previous B6 capabilities of the Mk1-Mk3.

Mambas have been deployed primarily with peacekeeping missions mounted by the United Nations and the African Union. The Mamba has seen active service with the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA), the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade (FIB), and the British contingent of the Kosovo Force. During the Iraq War, it was widely deployed by private security contractors in Iraq.

Numerous variants of the Mamba have been produced, as well as vehicles derived from it.

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