The Unibuffel is a mine-protected wheeled MRAP Infantry mobility vehicle used by the Sri Lankan military, which is an improved version of the Unicorn, made by the Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
| Unibuffel | |
|---|---|
 Unibuffel Mk II of the Sri Lankan Army | |
| Type | Infantry mobility vehicle |
| Place of origin |  Sri Lanka |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2000 - Present |
| Used by |  Sri Lanka Army  Sri Lanka Navy  Sri Lanka Air Force Special Task Force United Nations Peacekeeping |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
| Manufacturer | Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
| Unit cost | 4 Million rupee[1] |
| Produced | 2000 - Present |
| Variants | Mark I to Mark II |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 6.14 t |
| Length | 5.1 m (16.73 ft) |
| Width | 2.05 m (6.73 ft) |
| Height | 2.95 m (9.68 ft) |
| Crew | 2 + 10 passengers |
| Armor | Classified |
Main armament | Twin 7.62mm MG (front) |
Secondary armament | Twin 7.62mm MG (rear) |
| Engine | TATA Diesel Engine Hino V6 Turbo-charged Diesel Engine (MKII Improved Version) 180 hp (MKII Improved Version) |
| Suspension | 4×4 wheeled |
Operational range | 1000 km (621.37 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 96km/h (59.61 mph) on road 30km/h (18.64 mph) off-road |
More than 53 Unibuffels had been manufactured as of 2006.
Production history
editAlthough similar to the South African Buffel, it is built entirely by the Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (SLEME). Initial research and development started in 1997 in an effort to field modernized MRAPs in Sri Lankan military service.[2] First production started in 2000.[3]
In 2019, SLEME began to upgrade Unibuffels with blast shock absorption seats and better protection. In 2020 full Air Conditioning was added to those being sent for UN peacekeeping operations in Mali. [4][5]
Combat Usage
edit
The Unibuffel proved quite successful in the Sri Lankan civil war, it could transport troops through rough terrain with ease, and had good protection, it participated in all Sri Lankan Army operations 2005 onwards.
When Sri Lankan troops joined United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti, 16 Unibuffels was deployed to serve as their APC.[6]
In June, 2020 nine Unibuffels were deployed to Mali under urgent operational requirements for peacekeeping operations.[7]
Design
editThe Unibuffel has an enclosed troop compartment and has gun mounts on the front and back to equip it with machine guns.[8] The Typhoon 25mm cannon can also be equipped as a port defense weapon on a flatbed version.[8]
Vehicles were powered by a TATA engine which can deal easily with rough terrain.[1] Bulletproof glass was initially imported from China on a needed basis but later versions use glass manufactured by local suppliers.[1][9]
Variants
editThe variants of the Unibuffel consist of following categories,
- Mark I
- Mark II
- Mark II Improvised Version (Designed and Manufactured for UN Peacekeeping Missions)
Operators
edit
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Army[10]
Sri Lanka Navy: Known to be used by the Naval Patrolmen.[11]
Sri Lanka Air Force- Special Task Force: 15 Unibuffels handed to the STF.[1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d "The evolution of the indigenous armoured vehicle: From Unicorn to Unibuffel". 2007-09-30. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30.
- ^ "Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers".
- ^ Camp & Heitman, p. 238-239
- ^ "New locally made MPV better at withstanding mines: SLEME". The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2019-03-10.
- ^ "Sri Lanka Army-Manufactured Air-conditioned Mali-bound Unibuffels Ready for Shipment | Sri Lanka Army". www.army.lk. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
- ^ "Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers".
- ^ "'Mali needs us'".
- ^ a b Camp & Heitman, p. 239
- ^ "ප්රථම වරට රණවිරු නිෂ්පාදන ලෝවටා - Unibuffel Truck | Auto Vision | Sirasa TV - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
- ^ "Sri Lanka Sri lankan army land ground forces military equipment armoured vehicle pictures | Sri Lanka Army Military UK | Asia UK".
- ^ "Sri Lanka Navy - Amphibious".
Further reading
edit- Surviving the Ride: A Pictorial History of South African-Manufactured Mine-Protected Vehicles by Steve Camp & Helmoed Römer Heitman
