The Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia) is preparing to open an international tender for the procurement of 6×6 wheeled armored vehicles to replace the Sibmas and Condor wheeled armored vehicles. The SIBMAS is a Belgian amphibious infantry fighting vehicle. Production was on an order-by-order basis and commenced only for the Malaysian Army. The Condor is a 4×4 wheeled armoured personnel carrier originally designed by Thyssen-Henschel of Germany and manufactured by Henschel Wehrtechnik GmbH. The number of units required is about 400, and it is a project to introduce 6X6 wheeled armored vehicles.
Test and evaluation were conducted in Gwangju and Changwon, and proposals were submitted in November of this year, and evaluation results are expected in February 2022. Along with the 6X6 wheeled armored vehicle business, a project to introduce 36 4X4 type light armored vehicles as a leading vehicle concept is in parallel, and a Korean company is challenging Kovico. Aside from the requirement for 400 new 6×6 wheeled armored vehicles, the Malaysian Army is also expected to tender for 36 new 4×4 armored vehicles, which could be for requirements by the service’s United Nations Peacekeeping Operations.
The 806 is family of K808/806 wheeled armored personnel carrier. Developed by Hyundai Rotem as a private venture in 2012, the Korean Army declared a plan to acquire 600 6×6 and 8×8 wheeled APCs in order to help build rapid response forces molded after U.S. Stryker combat brigades, according to the South Korea Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). Hyundai Rotem, a (subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group), made the K808/806 in competition with the Doosan Black Fox and Samsung Techwin MPV, and eventually won the competition. In September 2018, the DAPA announced Hyundai Rotem would begin mass-producing the K806 and K808 vehicles later in the year.
The engine is located in the front on the left side, while the driver sits beside the engine to the right. The troop compartment is at the rear, accommodating 10 fully equipped soldiers plus 2 crew members. Troops enter and exit the vehicle via a rear automatic ramp in addition to 4 roof hatches. 806 is equipped with a 420 ps diesel engine developed by Hyundai Motors, a 7-speed transmission, and a 2-mode secondary transmission. The vehicle has an automatic drive-line management system, central tire inflation system, and run-flat tires. The K806 has an all-welded armored hull that provides protection against small-arms fire and artillery shell splinters. It is also equipped with the NBC protection system.
