IDEX 2017: MSPV confirms large Egyptian order
The five-door variant of the Panthera T6 was displayed by MSPV at IDEX. (IHS Markit/Patrick Allen)
The Dubai-based company Minerva Special Purpose Vehicles (MSPV) confirmed during IDEX 2017 held in Abu Dhabi that it is building large numbers of Panthera T6 light armoured vehicles for Egypt.
The Panthera T6 was first seen in May 2014 during an Egyptian military parade. Later that year the Arabic-language Security and Defence Arabia website published an article quoting the executive director of the Egyptian company Eagles Defence International Systems (EDIS) as saying it was producing the Panthera T6, as well as the larger members of the Panthera family: the S10 and K10CMD.
Engineer Mohamed Emad el-Kabbany, MSPV's assistant manager for sales and business development, told
Jane's at IDEX that EDIS is the company's Egyptian agent. He said he could not reveal exactly how many vehicles were ordered by Egypt, but it is in the region of 2,000-3,000 Panthera T6 three-door vehicles for both the Egyptian Army and National Police.
The T6 is a Toyota Land Cruiser 79-series vehicle that has had its shell removed and a new armoured body fitted, making it an affordable option. The three door version has seats for six personnel in the back in addition to the two up front and can be armed with a machine gun in a ring-mount.
The vehicle has been seen in the Sinai Peninsula, where the Egyptian Army is trying to suppress the local branch of the Islamic State militant group.
Despite this challenging operational environment, MSPV has received "no big complaints" about the vehicle from the Egyptians, according to Kabbany, who noted that the T6's relatively small size is an advantage in certain tactical situations.
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Egyptian soldiers stand in front of a Panthera T6. (Egyptian Armed Forces)
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