Breaking news
Cameroon army has take delivery of South African-made Ratel 20 6x6 armored with 20mm cannon 11601161.
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Defence & Security News - Cameroon
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| Cameroon army has take delivery of South African-made Ratel 20 6x6 armored with 20mm cannon. | |||
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According to Janes website, Cameroon has acquired South African-made Ratel armoured vehicles, said a Cameroonian military source. The first vehicles were delivered in December 2015, to the battalion Cameroon's elite Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR).
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 South African Army Ratel 20 armoured infantry fighting vehicle during a live demonstration at AAD, defense exhibition in South Africa. |
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Deliveries began in December 2015, according to the source, and the BIR now has 12 spread between a number of its Light Intervention Units (ULI) deployed to the Far North province, where the elite force leads operations against the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram.
Currently, Armed Forces of Cameroon are equipped with old 4x4 vehicles Commando, AML-90 and some AMX-10RC. The Ratel 20 is the standard armoured infantry fighting vehicle used by the South-African. The first prototype of the Ratel was completed in July 1974, followed by four preproduction vehicles, the first completed in 1976. The first production models were designated the Mk 1 and were followed in 1979 by the Mk 2, final deliveries of which were made in early 1987. The Ratel will soon be replaced in the South African Army by the Badger, a new 8x8 armoured vehicle designed and manufactured by the South African Comapany Denel. The Ratel-20 is armed with a a 20 mm F2 cannon (M693), and a 7.62 mm machine gun mounted coaxially to the left, and a similar weapon can be fitted on the turret roof for anti-aircraft defence. There is also a 7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine gun at the rear on the right side. Turret traverse and weapon elevation are manual. The weapons have an elevation of +38º and a depression of -8º. The 20 mm cannon fires armour-piercing (effective range 1,000 m), high-explosive (effective range 2,000 m) and practice (effective range 1,000 m) projectiles. |
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