Ghana Enhances Military Strength with New Batch of Shield APC 79 SFIGHTER-2 Armored Vehicles.

The Ghanaian Army acquired several APC 79 SFIGHTER-2 armored vehicles, designed by the Jordanian company Shield Armored Vehicles. The official unveiling of these vehicles took place on Monday, August 26 2024, at the Burma military camp, led by Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah, Chief of the Defence Staff.

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 Jordanian company Shield APC 79 SFIGHTER-2 Armored Vehicles  (Picture source: Ghana MoD)

Built on the chassis of the Toyota Land Cruiser 79, these armored vehicles are equipped with a 4.5L V8 Turbo diesel engine and manual transmission. They provide protection against small arms fire up to level B6 and have seating for eight, including spaces for the driver and commander.

It provides fast and secure transportation of up to 8 persons. Designed to transport personnel and equipments.

This acquisition is part of a broader program aimed at enhancing the transportation and protection capabilities of the Ghanaian army. In February of the previous year, the army acquired 245 vehicles, including 70 Kamaz trucks, 20 BTR-70 APCs, 20 Navistar Defence Husky tactical support vehicles, and 65 Toyota utility vehicles.

In October 2023, the European Union donated over 100 armored military vehicles to Ghana. This donation included BATT UMGs, Toyota Land Cruisers, Chevrolet trucks, and GMC trucks, all intercepted during an operation to enforce the UN arms embargo on Libya.

Earlier this year, China also contributed to Ghana's arsenal by donating rocket artillery and armored vehicles through Poly Technologies.

In parallel, on April 4, 2022, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia inaugurated several joint venture companies under the Defence Industries Holding Company (DIHOC), aimed at producing ammunition, electronic gadgets, and military attire, among other equipment. This project is intended to establish a self-sufficient military industrial complex for Ghana.

The Ghanaian Army is equipped with an impressive array of reconnaissance and combat vehicles to enhance its operational capabilities. Among these assets, there are three EE-9 Cascavel reconnaissance vehicles. For infantry transport and support, the arsenal includes 48 infantry fighting vehicles, divided among 24 Ratel-90s, 15 Ratel-20s, 4 Piranha 25mm, and more than 5 Type-05P 25mm.

Regarding armored personnel carriers (APCs), the army has 105 units. Additionally, it possesses more than 55 weapon-equipped APCs (APC W), including 46 Piranhas and more than 9 Type-05Ps. Finally, for operations requiring multipurpose protected vehicles, the army uses 50 Streit Typhoons. These vehicles play a crucial role in supporting ground operations and protecting engaged forces.

According to Military Balance 2023, the Ghanaian armed forces are among the most capable in the region, thanks to a long-term development plan. The ability to control its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is becoming increasingly important, which underpins the navy’s expansion plans, including the opening of a new forward-operating base. Internal and maritime security are central military tasks, including disaster response and peacekeeping missions abroad. The US provides training and support, and there is also significant and long-standing defense engagement with the UK. Air force training, close air support, and airlift capabilities have developed in recent years. Plans are in place to boost training and exercises, as well as to improve military infrastructure. The army is a regular contributor to UN peacekeeping operations. Ghanaian professional military education institutions regularly train personnel from regional states. The development of forward-operating bases continues, with the principal objective of protecting energy resources. The defense industrial base is limited, including maintenance, ammunition manufacturing, and, more recently, armored vehicle production. The Defence Industries Holding Company was created in 2019 to enhance defense industrial capacity.