Weststar GK-M1 is a
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
n military light utility vehicle or light tactical vehicle designed and manufactured by
Weststar Defence Industries.
History
Weststar delivered an unknown quantity of the GK-M1 in 2015. On April 20, 2016, Weststar received another contract from the
Malaysian Armed Forces
The Malaysian Armed Forces (: MAF; ms, Angkatan Tentera Malaysia; Jawi: ), are the armed forces of Malaysia, consists of three branches; the Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The number of MAF active pers ...
to equip them with 44 Weststar GK-M1 Rapid Rover vehicles.
An additional 44 were also to be ordered.
During the Defence & Security Exhibition 2015 convention,
Thales
Thales of Miletus ( ; grc-gre, Θαλῆς; ) was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, statesman, and pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor. He was one of the Seven Sages of Greece. Many, most notably Aristotle, regarded him ...
announced that it had signed a contract to supply the Malaysian Armed Forces with ForceSHIELD anti-air defense system which is consist of
Starstreak
Starstreak is a British short-range surface to air missile that can be used as a man-portable air-defence system (MANPADS) or in heavier systems, manufactured by Thales Air Defence (formerly Shorts Missile Systems), in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ...
missiles, Control Master 200 radar and weapon control system. This system will be install on Weststar GK-M1.
Design
The GK-M1 is outfitted with a
Toyota
is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...
engine.
Variants
Fitted For Radio
Command and communication vehicle to accommodate communications equipment.
Ambulance
Ambulance vehicle with accommodation of stretchers in the rear compartment.
Special Operation Vehicle
An off-road vehicle for special forces units made with COTS parts, unveiled in Defence Service Asia 2016. Offered to the
Grup Gerak Khas
The 21st Special Service Group (Abbr.: 21 SSG, ) is a command for Malaysian Army special forces, the '' Gerak Khas''. The 21 SSG and 10th Parachute Brigade are elite fighting formations of the Malaysian Army. Both units are independent units unde ...
under the light strike vehicle procurement program.
Weapon Carrier
A variant equipped with weapons on top of the vehicle. Weapons mounted include the M134D-H minigun.
Air Defence
Air defence variant equipped with
Starstreak
Starstreak is a British short-range surface to air missile that can be used as a man-portable air-defence system (MANPADS) or in heavier systems, manufactured by Thales Air Defence (formerly Shorts Missile Systems), in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ...
surface-to-air missiles.
They're installed through a Lightweight Multiple Launcher (LML).
Operators
* : 100+ GK-M1s reported in service with the Malaysian Army as of 2020.
See also
*
Cendana Auto Rover
Similar vehicles
*
Pindad Maung
Pindad Maung is an all-terrain, all-wheel drive light vehicle produced by Pindad. Initially designed as a military light utility-type vehicle, civilian versions are also available. The name ''Maung'' means "tiger" in Sundanese.
Description
The ...
, Indonesian military light vehicle
*
Indonesian Light Strike Vehicle
The Indonesian Light Strike Vehicle (ILSV) known as J-Forces Hurricane for export markets is a family of light military vehicles produced by J-Forces, under PT Jala Berikat Nusantara Perkasa. This vehicle was first introduced at Indo Defense 2014 ...
, Indonesian military light vehicle
*
Humvee
The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV; colloquial: Humvee) is a family of light, four-wheel drive, military trucks and utility vehicles produced by AM General. It has largely supplanted the roles previously performed by the ori ...
, US military light vehicle
*
Dongfeng EQ2050
The Dongfeng EQ2050 is a Chinese-made armored vehicle based on the Humvee, manufactured for government use by the Dongfeng Motor Group. It is known to be sold by the company for 700,000 Yuan ($93,000). The vehicle was created after People's Libe ...
, Chinese military vehicle
References
{{reflist
Military light utility vehicles
Armoured fighting vehicles of Malaysia
Military vehicles of Malaysia
Off-road vehicles
Military vehicles introduced in the 2010s