(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Malaysian peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have begun utilizing the “PANTHERA 4×4” (Ejder Yalchin) armored vehicles.
The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) Joint Forces Headquarters stated through its Facebook account that the peacekeeping forces have received 20 of these armored vehicles.
The statement included images of the armored vehicles in use by the Malaysian peacekeepers.
“MALBATT has acquired 20 KP 4×4 PANTHERA vehicles to progressively replace the older and worn-out KP 4×4 RPZ Condor.”
“The acquisition of the KP 4×4 PANTHERA is intended to enhance the operational readiness of MALBATT in executing peacekeeping missions in Lebanon,” said the statement.
This social media release coincides with a visit by the Chief of Staff of the Joint Forces Headquarters, Major General Dato’ Hj Fazal bin Hj Abdul Rahman, to Camp Marakah in Lebanon.
He was briefed on the Final Acceptance Test of the PANTHERA 4×4 armored vehicle and the adaptation course conducted for the Malaysian peacekeepers.
Last month, in a statement to Parliament, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced that the national peacekeeping forces serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) will start using the “PANTHERA 4×4” (Ejder Yalchin) in April.
He mentioned that the Malaysian Battalion (MALBATT) would deploy the Turkey-manufactured armored vehicles following the completion of the Final Acceptance Test in March.
“The PANTHERA armored vehicles are expected to commence operations in April 2024 after the Final Acceptance Test process is completed in early March 2024,” he stated in a written response in the Dewan Rakyat.
The Ministry acquired 20 “PANTHER” armored vehicles valued at RM190 million from Turkey to replace the CONDOR armored vehicles.
The “Panther” vehicles, manufactured by Nurol Makina, were introduced in Malaysia in 2018 and have undergone various tests in Malaysia recently, alongside several competitors.
At the DSA 2022 exhibition, Nurol Makina and a local company, NADI Corp signed a “final configuration review acceptance” for the Ejder Yalchin (Panthera) vehicles.
The PANTHERA weighs between 12 to 14 tons and can carry a payload of up to 4 tons.
These armored vehicles can reach speeds of up to 110 km/h with an operational radius of 600 km using a 300 horsepower engine.
The “Panthera” is capable of transporting up to 11 fully armed soldiers and can be equipped with heavy machine guns and Automatic Grenade Launchers. — DSA