South Africa
Ratel IFV The Ratel wheeled IFV is named after the honey badger, noted for its toughness when fighting; many would consider the Ratel IFV to be well named, It first appeared in 1974, when sanctions were at their height, having been totally developed within South Africa. Manufacture was by Sandock-Austral, with final deliveries being made during 1987. All models have a 6 x 6 drive configuration with the long armoured steel hull being specially contoured underneath to minimise land mine damage; if necessary the Ratel can travel with two wheels missing. The main variant is the Ratel 20, armed with a 20 mm cannon in a two-man turret, plus three 7.62 mm MGs, one coaxial, one over the turret and one on a pintle mounting over a hatch in the rear hull roof, Firing ports and vision devices are provided for most occupants of the crew compartment which is entered through side doors or another at the rear. A fire support variant, the Ratel 90, is virtually identical to the Ratel 20
apart from the turret mounting a 90 mm gun and one passenger less to make room for the bulkier ammunition. There is also a Ratel 60 with a 60 mm breech-loading mortar in the turret. An anti-tank Ratel has a special turret with a bank of three Swift ATGWs over the roof. There is a special command version with a turret with a 12.7 mm MG in a mantlet while an 81 mm mortar carrier does not have a turret at all; the traversable mortar fires through open roof hatches.
Almost any Ratel can be rapidly converted into a light ARV by adding a small jib crane to the hull rear. One of the latest variants is the socalled Enhanced Artillery Observation System (EAOS) on which a raised superstructure behind the drivers position and a special lifting mast carrying a multi-sensor head for target detection and data transmission to a central control post.
Ratel IFV
