Malaysia to introduce NBC variant of AV-8 Gempita 8x8 armored vehicle

The AV-8 Gempita AENBCRV variant for the Malaysian Army. Photo c/o FNSS.


The Malaysian Army (MA) is set to introduce a new variant of their AV-8 Gempita (Thunder) 8x8 wheeled armored vehicle called the Armoured Engineer Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle (AENBCRV). Four (4) units are believed ordered by the MA as part of a total buy of 257 units of different variants.

The vehicle was developed by Turkish armored vehicle manufacturer FNSS and Malaysia’s DRB HICOM Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd (DEFTECH), and is expected to enter service with the MA within the first half of 2019.

The AV-8 AENBCRV will be fitted with Chemical, Biological, Radiation, and Nuclear (CBRN) detection equipment and systems, which enables it to detect and classify chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear agents to alert military units and civilians of potential dangers.

The AV-8 AENBCRV recently passed the final stages of qualification process including a Land Performance Test and CBRN Systems tests done in Turkey, while Endurance tests were done in Malaysia.

The Malaysian Army has been operating the AV-8 Gempita since 2014. Variants ordered by the MA include the AFV30 variant equipped with a Denel GI30 30mm gun mounted on a Denel LCT30 turret; the IFV25 variant armed with a Bushmaster 25mm gun mounted on a Sharpshooter turret; an APC variant armed with a 12.7mm remote weapon station; the LCT30 anti-tank variant with 4 ZT3 Ingwe anti-tank guided missiles, a mortar carrier variant with a 120mm self-loading mortar. 

Other non-combat variants include a Command vehicle, armored ambulance, armored recovery vehicle, armored surveillance vehicle with battlefield radars, maintenance vehicles, signal intelligence vehicles, and the upcoming AENBCRV variant.



[1] FNSS
[2] Malaysia Defence
[3] Army Recoginition

Malaysia to introduce NBC variant of AV-8 Gempita 8x8 armored vehicle Malaysia to introduce NBC variant of AV-8 Gempita 8x8 armored vehicle Reviewed by Asia Pacific Defense Journal on April 29, 2019 Rating: 5

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