The Colombian Army (Ejército Nacional de Colombia) has confirmed the purchase of a Hunter XL Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, designed and manufactured by the Colombian company Armor International. This new model is part of the Hunter family, but it is larger than the previous version, thus the XL designation, and has better capabilities than the first model of this company the TR-12. The purchase order was issued in mid-December 2019, for a total amount of USD500,000,and the vehicles will be deployed by the army within the Meteor Plan and will be used to monitor Colombian roadways.
The Hunter XL Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP has been developed from a Workstar 7300 chassis supplied directly by Navistar Defense and for strictly military use, motorized by an International type engine with a 6-speed forward synchronized automatic transmission. The vehicle has been designed as an independent monocoque mounted on a Navistar Workstar chassis, with a V-shaped floor and protected compartment for the engine. Its wheels are of the “run-flat”.type. Preliminarily framed within category 1, the XL can transport – depending on the tactical configuration – 18 + 1 or 17 + 1 occupants with their respective equipment. This vehicle is based on the matrices of the TR-12, expanded to increase its operational performance.
The vehicle can withstand impacts of 5.56 × 45 mm, 7.62 × 39 mm and 7.62 × 51 mm caliber ammunition, as well as explosions of anti-personnel mines, unexploded ammunition and IEDs. The roof is equipped with a Browning M2 HQC QCB machine gun, an FN Herstal M-249, an M-60E4, or a 40 mm Milkor MK-19 grenade launcher. The Hunter has a digital control panel designed by Armor (typical of the Hunter line), for the configuration of accessories, including double air conditioning, double smoke extractor, alternator, 110 and 120 V outputs. The Hunter XL has thermal and reverse cameras, 12 windows, 5 doors, 11 hatches and a crane system with a winch.
