Mozambique operating MCAV-20 armoured vehicles

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The Mozambican military has added another armoured vehicle to its inventory: the Emirati Calidus MCAV-20, which has also been adopted by several other African countries.

MCAV-20s were publicly seen taking part in Mozambique’s Revolution Day (Armed Forces Day) celebrations on 25 September 2024. The Day is celebrated annually to commemorate the start of the armed struggle against Portuguese colonial rule in 1964.

Then President Filipe Nyusi was the guest of honour at the 2024 event, where he highlighted the important role of the country’s armed forces in maintaining national security. He said the FADM (Forças Armadas de Defesa de Moçambique) fulfilled its mission of defending the homeland, ensuring the pacification and stability of Cabo Delgado, which has been hit by an insurgency since 2017.

Calidus MCAV-20s in Mozambique.

At least half a dozen MCAV-20 vehicles were seen in the 2024 parade. In March 2023, the Mozambican Ministry of Defence shared photos of a visit by officials (including Defence Minister Cristovao Chume) to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where a Memorandum of Understanding was signed, covering military cooperation and counter-terrorism.

During the visit, Mozambican officials visited UAE defence companies, including Calidus, where they were seen inspecting MCAV-20 vehicles. It is not clear how many were subsequently acquired.

The MCAV-20, launched in 2021, is one of several vehicles manufactured by Calidus, along with the LRV-20 lightweight 4×4 and Al Wahash 8×8. The latter was designed by South Africa’s ADG Mobility. The MCAV-20 appears to be powered by a 330 hp engine and protected against ballistic and landmine threats. A ‘smart hull design’ allows for the integration of turrets and weapon stations. The vehicle weighs around 7-9 tons and has a top speed of about 110 km/h. MCAV-20s have been acquired by Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Mauritania.

Also spotted in 2024’s Armed Forces Day parade were several Tiger 4×4 armoured vehicles – another relatively new type in Mozambican military service. These are manufactured by ShaanXi Baoji Special Vehicles Company, which has also exported the model to Somalia and other foreign countries.

Mozambican Tiger APCs.

The Tiger was first introduced on the international market in 2012. It can accommodate nine soldiers plus two crew. It has a kerb weight of 4 500 kg and useful load of 1 100 kg. An overhead turret can be armed with a machinegun or grenade launcher. The vehicle can withstand 7.62 mm armour piercing rounds. A Cummins ISDE200-30 diesel engine gives a top speed of 115 km/h and range of 600 km.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Mozambique received 23 APCs – believed to be the Tigers – from China in 2018. Two Tigers were subsequently captured by insurgents in 2020.

ShaanXi Baoji Special Vehicles Company previously supplied 20 armoured vehicles to Mozambique (five armoured, five command, five rescue, and five ambulance vehicles). These arrived in 2014 and appear to be the Tiger’s predecessor (the ZFB05 model).

Mozambique has acquired other equipment from China in the past, notably Norinco WZ-551 armoured personnel carriers. A dozen were delivered in 2013, according to SIPRI data. At least one has been seen in recovery/wrecker configuration.

A Mozambican WZ-551 in recovery/engineering configuration.

Older vehicles in the FADM’s armoured vehicle fleet include dozens of BRDM-1/2, BMP-1, BTR-60, BTR-152, and Casspir APCs/infantry combat vehicles, as well as dozens of T-54 and PT-76 tanks, but it’s not clear how many of these are still operational. Over a decade ago, the United Kingdom supplied 25 second hand AT-105 Saxon APCs and 40 second hand FV-432 APCs.

Confronted with an insurgency in Cabo Delgado province, Mozambique has acquired a substantial amount of military equipment in recent years. Paramount has supplied a dozen Marauder armoured vehicles along with three Mwari fixed wing aircraft, and several Mi-24, Mi-8/17, and Gazelle helicopters. It has also supplied refurbished Let-410 and CN235M transports.