The long-delayed search for new armoured personnel carriers (APCs) for the South African Army continues, with bid validity being extended to the end of September.
In January 2023, Armscor issued a Request for Information (SA Army/R/403/6) for a 2+8 seat APC capable of counterinsurgency operations with variable ballistic and mine protection able to defeat an 8 kg mine. Armscor was originally supposed to place the procurement contract from 1 April 2024, but this was delayed.
On 23 July 2024, Armscor issued tender ELWS/2024/71 for personnel carrier vehicles for border patrol, to be utilised for internal and external missions of the SA Army. Nearly 500 vehicles are to be acquired, in three variants: 210 Section variants, 144 Command variants, and 108 Ambulance variants.
Bids were initially due to close on 23 August last year, with deliveries expected on or before 15 March 2025. However, the tender has faced numerous challenges, including changing requirements – Armscor revised specifications, reducing the combat weight as the original user requirement was mostly taken from that of the Badger infantry fighting vehicle for the SA Army, and this was not practical for the vehicles required for border patrol.
Bid validity has been extended before, and in a letter to bidders dated 17 June 2025, Armscor’s Supply Chain Management announced another extension. “There is a likelihood that the bid process will not be concluded before the expiry of the currently validity period. You are therefore requested to extend the validity period until 30 September 2025,” according to Samson Mahlangu on behalf of Executive Manager: Supply Chain Management.
“In the event that you are willing to hold your bid valid for the extended period, you undertake not to vary/modify the bid. Armscor may at its discretion, only consider the escalation of the prices provided the reason for such escalation is clearly (sic)”, the notice read.
The bid calls for a vehicle with a 13.5 ton Gross Vehicle Mass, while catering for a minimum payload of 1.5 tons. Ballistic protection must be to NATO STANAG Level 1 that covers 7.62 x 51 mm and 5.56 mm ball ammunition. Mine blast protection must be to Level 2 (single 6 kg surrogate mine placed under the vehicle).
Market entry and bid proposal consultant James Kerr believes the bid’s requirements are a stretch for the industry to meet. He believes it would take at least a year for the first 60 vehicles to be delivered after tender award, and the remaining vehicles following at least three years after that.
The new APCs will replace the troop pack vehicles previously acquired for border patrol – over 400 Toyota Land Cruisers were originally bought for this purpose. National Treasury allocated R500 million in 2024/25 for the procurement of vehicles to replace the troop packs.
