Ukraine's new armour: Mystery of the Mbombe 6x6 vehicles unveiled

A video has surfaced online showing several vehicles used by Ukrainian soldiers. A machine resembling the Mbombe 6x6 produced in Africa attracts particular attention. For now, no one knows where the Ukrainian soldiers got such support from. What equipment does the mysterious vehicle offer?

The Mbombe 6x6 are armoured personnel carriers of the South African company Paramount. There was certainly no support for Ukraine with these vehicles. The Defence Express website, specializing in military subjects, emphasizes that the equipment noticed at the front is similar but not identical. It suggests that one of the Ukrainian defence companies has probably started licensed production of a new armoured personnel carrier for the Ukrainian armed forces (journalists from the Militarnyj website share the same opinion).

The Mbombe 6x6 is a relatively "new" design; armoured personnel carriers have been produced since 2010. From publicly available information, the manufacturer describes it as an armoured fighting vehicle distinguished by good mobility that does not exclude a high level of crew protection.

Currently, the Mbombe 6x6 is in service not only with the South African Republic's army. The Paramount Group has signed several export contracts, including with the authorities of Jordan and Libya. In April 2024, Ecuador also joined the group of Mbombe 6x6 users.

The official specification mentions a 6x6 drive, allowing movement in difficult terrain. Under the hood of the Mbombe 6x6, you can find an engine with 457 HP, thanks to which the vehicle can reach speeds of up to 110 km/h on roads. The range of the Mbombe 6x6 on a single tank is about 700 km.

The Mbombe 6x6's ballistic protection can reach level 3 of the STANAG 4569 standard (7.62×51 mm small arms) and mine protection up to level 4 of the STANAG 4569 standard. This means that the vehicle can withstand an explosion of up to 10 kg of TNT under the hull and a side impact resulting from the explosion of up to 50 kg of TNT from a distance of 5 metres.

The nearly 8-meter-long Mbombe 6x6 can accommodate up to 11 people, including three crew members: the commander, driver, and gunner. This vehicle's combat weight is 25 tonnes, and the armament can be tailored to the client's needs. The manufacturer declares that the turret on the roof can be equipped with any armament (up to 30 mm calibre).

It is unclear whether and what changes are relative to the original Mbombe 6x6 that the Ukrainians introduced. These will likely mainly concern armament. There is speculation that it may involve the already used and well-regarded Spear-Sintez combat module equipped with a 30 mm automatic cannon, a 30 mm automatic grenade launcher, and a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun.