Higuard Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle

The 6x6 Higuard MRAP vehicle is manufactured by Renault Trucks Defense. Image: courtesy of Ministère de la Défense.

The Higuard MRAP vehicle was displayed at DSA 2014 exhibition and conference held in Malaysia. Image: courtesy of Ministère de la Défense.

The Higuard MRAP has a maximum road speed of 90km/h. Image: courtesy of Ministère de la Défense.

The Higuard mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) homeland security vehicle is designed and manufactured by the French firm Renault Trucks Defense. It is used by gendarmerie and police forces and is currently in service with two Middle-East countries.

Higuard is derived from the Sherpa Medium 6×6 tactical vehicle and is designed to perform missions including public order, homeland security, ambulance, and protection of critical facilities. It offers high all-terrain mobility in urban and rural areas. A personnel carrier version of Higuard has also been developed for military operations.

The MRAP vehicle was displayed at 14th Defence Services Asia (DSA) exhibition and conference, which took place in Malaysia in April 2014.

Orders and deliveries

Launch customer Qatari Internal Security Services (ISF) ordered a total of 22 Higuard 6×6 mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles in December 2011. The first Higuard vehicle was presented at the Milipol Qatar 2012 International Exhibition of Internal State Security held in Doha, Qatar, in October 2012. It was delivered to the Qatari ISF during the IDEX 2013 international defence exhibition held in UAE.

Higuard MRAP design

The Higuard MRAP vehicle features full-time 6×6 configuration and is integrated with a V-shaped armoured hull. It is air transportable internally by Airbus A400M turboprop military transport aircraft.

The vehicle measures 7.43m long, 2.52m wide and 2.95m high, and has a gross weight of 21t, while its maximum payload weight is 5t. Its ground clearance and wheel bases are 0.49m and 4m, respectively. The vehicle has an internal volume 15m³ that houses cabinets and brackets.

Up to 12 fully-equipped personnel can be accommodated by the MRAP, including two crew and ten police officers. A ramp at the rear of the vehicle provides entry and exit for the policemen. The vehicle is also fitted with roof hatches and two lateral doors.

Higuard MRAP vehicle features

Equipment installed in the Higuard mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle include bull bar / front blade, police light bar, public address, smoke extractor, smoke grenade-launcher, fire-extinguisher, and tear gas grenade launchers. The vehicle also features a 120A / 300A alternator and a mass-produced air conditioning / heating system. It can be optionally equipped with ultra high-frequency (UHF) / VHF / HF / private mobile radio (PMR) radio intercom systems.

Protection features

The V-shaped armoured cab offers Nato N4 (STANAG 4569) standard ballistic protection for the occupants. It can be optionally provided with MRAP level of protection against mines / improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Propulsion and suspension of the MRAP vehicle

The vehicle is powered by six-cylinder Renault MD7 engine, which generates a maximum power of 320hp (Euro 3) / 340hp (Euro 5) and develops a maximum torque of 1,200Nm or 1,306Nm at 1,200rpm-1,700rpm. Its fuel tank capacity is 255l.

The vehicle is equipped with 395/85 R 20 tires and a rigid suspension unit, while propulsion system consists of nine mechanical gears or seven automatic gears.

Higuard MRAP vehicle performance

A maximum road speed of 90km/h can be reached by the vehicle and its top range is 850km. It can ford at 1.2m and can negotiate a vertical obstacle of 0.5m and a trench of 0.9m. Gradient and side slopes of the vehicle are 60% and 30%, respectively.