Malaysia to acquire new wheeled APCs for UN peacekeeping battalion in Lebanon

Some of the Condor APC of the Malaysian Army, assigned with the MALBATT 850-7 in Lebanon. Photo c/o Defense Studies blog page.

Malaysia is preparing for a tender to be opened for the acquisition of new wheeled Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) for its United Nations peacekeeping unit assigned in Lebanon.

According to the Malaysian Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), 12 companies presented their products to the Malaysian Army to replace the 24 Condor 4x4 wheeled APCs used by the Malaysian Battalion 850-7 (MALBATT 850-7) which is assigned with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Another 20 to 30 new APCs are also eyed for the Malaysian Army’s Ready Battalion which is also used for emergency UN peacekeeping deployments.

No decision has been reached if the vehicle to be selected is a 4x4 or 6x6 model.

It was also said that the Condor APCs used by MALBATT 850-7 won’t be shipped back to Malaysia, and that the replacement of these vehicles are needed due to their age.

The Malaysian Army started receiving the first of 460 units of Condor APC, which were built by German company Hernschel Wehrtechnik GmbH (now part of Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles) in late 1981. 

The Malaysian Army is said to still have more than 200 vehicles in active service.
It is also expected that the cost of the acquisition of new armored vehicles will be reimbursed with the United Nations


[1] Berita Harian