At a glance what appears to be a 4×4 version of the famous Ratel infantry combat vehicle is in fact Jorsin’s new Tau armoured personnel carrier (APC), which made its first public appearance at the recent Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition.
The prototype was completed just in time to take part in late September’s AAD 2024 at Air Force Base Waterkloof in Pretoria. The Tau can accommodate up to thirteen crew (ten in the rear crew compartment plus a driver, a commander and a gunner in an optional turret). A horizontal double rear door functions as a flip-up/drop-down ramp, facilitating easy entry and exit. Roof-mounted hatches provide alternative access points, while side-mounted armoured glass windows with integrated shooting ports offer good visibility.
As with the Ratel, the driver is positioned in the centre of the vehicle, avoiding the need to offer the vehicle in left or right hand drive configurations. “This placement offers full frontal visibility through armoured glass, significantly enhancing offroad manoeuvrability. A dedicated hatch provides the driver with easy access to the vehicle,” Jorsin explained.
The vehicle is powered by a Cummins 157 kW (210 hp) turbocharged and intercooled diesel engine driving an Allison six-speed automatic transmission through a Meritor two-speed transfer gearbox, giving a maximum speed of 115 km/h and range of 800 km plus. A Meritor fully independent suspension provides enhanced off-road mobility and “superb” on-road stability, eliminating the wobble the Ratel is known for. The ground clearance of 600 mm in front and 570 mm below belly of vehicle are class leading parameters, Jorsin’s Johan Lamprecht told defenceWeb.
The power pack has designed to be modular and easily replaced – it is fitted to a frame that can be rolled in and out, allowing the engine to be changed in 30 to 60 minutes – quick connect fuel and hydraulics lines facilitate the process. A collapsible rail/frame, carried with each vehicle, can be assembled in minutes and the complete powerpack can be rolled out to the side of the vehicle: no crane is required to access or change the powerpack.
The 9 500 kg vehicle makes use of a monocoque hull manufactured from 8 mm armoured steel to provide ballistic protection to NATO STANAG Level II (stopping up to 7.62×39 mm armour piercing rounds). A turret weighing 1 500 kg can be fitted to the vehicle – at AAD 2024, the Tau was displayed with a 20 mm Ratel cannon turret, weighing 1 160 kg, but other turret options can be fitted. Tau can accommodate a full size Ratel turret basket, as opposed to the trend of basket free overhead weapons. This is important in the African context where a variety of Russian-made turrets, with an assortment of weaponry, are available, mostly mounted on immobile vehicles due to lack of spares or maintenance, Lamprecht said.
Jorsin shared with defenceWeb that development of the Tau started last year, with a design philosophy of simplicity and reliability, as the vehicle is aimed at the African market. The APC has no complex electronics to ensure fewer points of failure, for example.
Jorsin is aiming the Tau at countries that want a vehicle similar to the Ratel but more modern (the Tau uses some components from the Ratel, such as the turret, seats, shooting ports etc.). While the vehicle does not yet have a launch customer, there is interest from potential clients in Africa who are looking for a vehicle similar to the Ratel.
Jorsin has decades of experience maintaining Ratel and other armoured vehicles, having for example been awarded multiple contracts from the South African Army for Ratel maintenance and repair.
