The Director of Procurement at Israel’s Ministry of Defense (IMOD) has purchased in an expedited procedure 50 SandCat EX11 light armoured vehicle to bolster the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) capabilities. The vehicle complements the Ze’ev (Wolf) armored vehicles the IDF has operated in these roles since 2006. SandCats have been produced since 2004, and while Plasan has never released complete details, these are known to be in service with at least 16 users across five continents, and in a wide variety of roles that range from Police/internal security to combat/patrol. There have been four generations of SandCat. The first-generation were mainly prototypes, although a small quantity were supplied to Israeli security forces. Most SandCats are fully enclosed, although some first- and second-generation models were produced with a small open-topped rear cargo space.
The SandCat EX11 was designed and produced by Plasan, using commercial Ford F550 chassis. The Israel Border Police (Magav, Border Guard) have already used a smaller version of the Sandcat armored vehicles since 2008. The EX-11 is the ideal solution for urban law enforcement where space, protection, simplicity, and reliability are critical mission factors. The original vehicle was stripped of the standard body, and added the armored capsule designed with the company’s unique kitted-hull architecture, enabling flexible configurations for different uses. The EX-11 is optimized for tasks where space and protection are the priority. With the same powerful 330bhp 6.7L V8 engine as the SandCat, the EX-11 has ample power to make swift progress through traffic or from a base station to an emergency event, taking your forces to where they are needed, when they are needed.
The vehicle’s assembly was quick, with parts supplied from operational inventory, enabling rapid production ramp-up for initial deliveries and full order completion within a few weeks. The agreement with the Plasan also includes integrated logistics to support the vehicles, assuring the availability of the vehicle fleet. This is a significant and rapid procurement that brings an important operational capability to the field and immediately responds to the Israel Defense Forces needs of protected mobility. The SandCat is based on a well-proven Ford Super Duty commercial pick-up chassis to reduce through life cycle costs, and automotives used in all SandCat generations have remained standard Ford wherever possible. It has a low cost of ownership thanks to the use of a reliable commercial Ford F550 Super Duty chassis with a powerful engine and all-wheel drive, while remaining safe in a Ford-certified GVW.
Plasan is an Israeli based vehicle manufacturer, established in 1985, develops, manufactures, and assembles custom-built vehicle armor systems and chassis up-armor designs as well as Add-On Armor Protection Kits for lightweight military tactical trucks and APCs (Wheeled & Tracked), for fixed and rotary wing aircraft, commercial vehicles, and is a major supplier of personnel protection armor.Plasan armor is widely used in the US military’s MRAP vehicles. Sasa’s innovations include vehicular cabin, chassis and hull armor kits to protect personnel and equipment on MaxxPro, MRAP (Mine Resistant and Ambush Protected) and M-ATV (all-terrain) vehicles. Plasan is a non-public company and is wholly owned by Kibbutz Sasa, a communal village of some 100 families in Northern Israel. It employs 1,300 people, including 650 in the United States and 180 in France.
