A Middle Eastern Army has recently acquired dozer blades to be attached to its main battle tanks (MBTs). The low-cost light engineering MBT dozer blade system was supplied and installed by ADG Mobility (ADGM), a member of the OTT Group of companies. All necessary testing has been successfully completed to ensure that the system meets the end-user’s requirements.
According to defenceWeb, Andy Hodgson, Business Development Executive at ADGM, explained that among the key design considerations were maintaining a mass limitation of 1.2 tons and enabling quick attachment and removal of the blade system in the field. Another crucial consideration was ensuring that no changes could be made to the ballistic, mine-blast, or nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) integrity of the armor, with the crew remaining fully protected.
Additionally, the unit had to be free of electromagnetic interference and fully compliant with IP67 standards for dust and water protection. “The electro-hydraulic system is fully self-contained, including a motor cooling circuit to remove heat, as the system is required to operate for extended periods in ambient conditions up to 55° C,” Hodgson stated. He added that the full operational functionality of all turret systems could not be affected or degraded by the dozer operations under any conditions.
The lightweight design of the product makes it suitable for various tracked MBTs and wheeled 8×8 armored vehicles. According to Hodgson, the unit can be installed or removed in the field by two crew members in less than five minutes.
ADGM offers straight (plain or teethed) replaceable blade segments and is currently working on concepts for V-shaped and adjustable angled blades to offer options for route clearance and preparation.
South Africa’s long-struggling defense industry has experienced a resurgence in recent years. The National Conventional Arms Control Committee’s (NCACC) annual reports have shown that the country’s arms exports have grown each year since 2020. The NCACC’s 2023 annual report indicated that arms exports nearly doubled year on year. The industry appears to be growing in both established and new markets.
The most current figures indicate that 8% of South African defense exports go to the Middle East. Although sales to Middle Eastern countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia were lower in 2023 compared to previous years, South African firms continue to export significant amounts of arms to the region. The Middle East and North Africa accounted for approximately 8% of South African arms exports in 2023, and over a quarter of South African arms exports between 2018 and 2022, according to various NCACC annual reports.
The primary export markets for South African arms in the region remain the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with orders totaling just under R5 billion between 2018 and 2023. More recently, Türkiye has emerged as an increasingly prominent importer of South African arms, ordering around R377 million worth of arms in 2023 alone.
