By Ann Roosevelt
BAE Systems yesterday said its South Africa business has developed a purpose-built RG35 Reconnaissance, Patrol and Utility (RPU) vehicle that balances firepower, proven survivability and the tactical mobility troops currently need and will require in the future.
The rugged, multi-mission RG35 RPU is a tactical 4X4 wheeled vehicle that can be equipped with light and medium turrets, as well as direct and indirect-fire weapons.
It can power its way through tough terrain, taking troops wherever they need to go for the mission. The vehicle can easily be modified a number of ways to transport cargo, conduct routine patrols, or be outfitted with cameras and other electronics for surveillance missions.
“No matter the mission, ensuring that troops make it to and from their home base safely is paramount,” said Chris Chambers, vice president and general manager of BAE’s Tactical Wheeled Vehicles business. “With the RG35 RPU, we’ve developed a unique armor protected capsule, integrating decades of expertise and experience that we call the ‘crew citadel.’ It is designed to shield troops inside the vehicle from mine blasts, road side bombs and gunfire while ensuring they can fulfill their missions effectively.”
The RPU has similar protection levels as the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, depending on customer requirements.
The RG35 is an open architecture fit for many applications and is currently being adapted to suit the Canadian Tactical Armored Patrol Vehicle (TAPV) program. As the business moves forward submitting its formal proposal with the proven hardware in response to the TAPV RFP, the team has coined the tagline “mission complete” to succinctly and simply describe the RG35 RPU’s value proposition.
“What’s mission complete? It’s delivering true value to the customer, throughout its life: providing troops with enhanced crew protection; delivering the tactical mobility required across extreme terrain and multiple missions and, specifically for the TAPV program, built and supported in Canada, for Canada,” Chambers said. “That’s mission complete, and that’s the RG35 RPU.”
The RG35 RPU mine-protected multi-mission tactical wheeled vehicle is approximately 5.2 meters long, 2.6 meters wide, and 2.5 meters in height, with a ground clearance of 414 millimeters. The RG35 RGU’s gross vehicle mass is 21,000 kg with a payload of 8,000 kg and seats a driver plus nine others.