The RG Outrider, also known by its original designation RG-32M Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV), is a 4x4 multi-purpose mine-protected

armoured personnel carrier An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world. Acc ...

(APC) manufactured by

BAE Systems BAE Systems plc (BAE) is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company based in London, England. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe, and ranked the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenues. ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

. It was first introduced in early 2009 as the RG-32M LTV, and was first purchased by

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. The vehicle was offered to the US market the following year, re-designated as RG Outrider. It is based on and is the successor to the RG-32M already in service in Afghanistan with the coalition forces. The RG Outrider offers several improvements over its predecessor, including the addition of the V-shaped hull.

History

In February 2009,

announced the introduction of a new variant of the RG-32M, named RG-32M Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV), which was put on display at the

International Defence Exhibition The International Defence Exhibition & Conference, or IDEX, is a biennial arms and defence technology sales exhibition. The exhibition is the largest defence exhibition and conference in the Middle East and takes place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Em ...

(IDEX) the same month. The main improvement was the addition of a V-shaped hull, increasing the protection offered. BAE Systems claimed that "the RG32M is mine hardened, but the RG32M LTV is mine protected".

was the first country to purchase the RG-32M LTV, acquiring 27 units for assisting

peacekeeping Peacekeeping comprises activities intended to create conditions that favour lasting peace. Research generally finds that peacekeeping reduces civilian and battlefield deaths, as well as reduces the risk of renewed warfare. Within the United N ...

operations. The vehicle was launched for the North American market in early 2010, with the new designation RG Outrider. The company announced in February 2010 that they had demonstrated the RG Outrider to US military commanders at the

Nevada Automotive Test Center Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, t ...

. It was exhibited at the

Association of the United States Army The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) is a private, non-profit organization that serves as the professional association of the United States Army. Founded in 1950, it has 121 chapters worldwide. Membership is open to everyone, not ju ...

(AUSA) winter exposition the same month. It is being marketed in the United States targeting operations in Afghanistan where its predecessor, the RG-32M, has been in use with US, Swedish and Spanish forces.

Features

The RG Outrider is slightly larger than its predecessor, with the hull being wider and higher. In addition to the APC role, it can also be used as a command, liaison or scouting vehicle. The RG Outrider can provide ballistic protection against up to

7.62×39mm The 7.62×39mm (aka 7.62 Soviet, formerly .30 Russian Short) round is a rimless bottlenecked intermediate cartridge of Soviet origin. The cartridge is widely used due to the worldwide proliferation of Russian SKS and AK-47 pattern rifles, as ...

anti-personnel rounds (

STANAG 4569 NATO AEP-55 STANAG 4569 is a NATO Standardization Agreement covering the standards for the "Protection Levels for Occupants of Logistic and Light Armored Vehicles". The standard covers strikes from kinetic energy, artillery and IED blasts. Level ...

level 2). Anti-tank mine protection is of level 2a and 2b (under wheel and under center), and it can also provide side protection against

Improvised Explosive Devices An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mechan ...

(IED). A

7.62 mm The 7.62 mm caliber is a nominal caliber used for a number of different cartridges. Historically, this class of cartridge was commonly known as .30 caliber, the imperial unit and customary unit equivalent, and was most commonly used for ...

or 12.7 mm machine gun can be fitted to the weapon station on the roof. The RG Outrider has a height of , and is long and wide. It has a

wheelbase In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (front ...

of and a

ground clearance Ride height or ground clearance is the amount of space between the base of an automobile tire and the lowest point of the automobile (typically the axle); or, more properly, to the shortest distance between a flat, level surface, and the lowest p ...

of . Classified as a four-wheeled mine protected patrol vehicle, it has a weight of , and can carry 4 personnel including the driver and commander. It is powered by a

Steyr Steyr (; Central Bavarian: ''Steia'') is a statutory city, located in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria. It is the administrative capital, though not part of Steyr-Land District. Steyr is Austria's 12th most populated town and the 3rd l ...

M16S CI Turbo charged intercooled engine (6-cylinder, 200 kW), with 5-speed automatic transmission and

four-wheel drive Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...

capability. It has a maximum speed in excess of , and can negotiate up to 60% gradients and 30% side-slopes. The RG Outrider also has a payload capability of . Its load bay allows the addition of mission specific equipment, thus allowing the vehicle to be adapted to different conditions. Commercial off-the-shelf parts have been used extensively in the vehicle, with the view that this will reduce the need for crew training and logistics problems.

References

External links

RG Outrider at baesystems.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rg Outrider BAE Systems land vehicles Armoured personnel carriers of South Africa Military light utility vehicles Military vehicles introduced in the 2000s

History

Features

See also

References

External links