DSA 2022: Mildef from Malaysia unveils its new Tarantula 4x4 armored vehicle

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At DSA 2022, defense exhibition in Malaysia, the Malaysian company Mildef unveils its new 4x4 armored vehicle in APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) configuration called Tarantula.

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Malaysian company Mildef unveils its Tarantula 4x4 armored vehicle during DSA 2022, defense exhibition in Malaysia. (Picture source Army Recognition)

The Malaysian company Mildef has launched the design and the development of the Tarantula four years ago and the first prototype of the vehicle was unveiled at DSA 2022. Citing Mildef, the vehicle was not only for Malaysia but also for the export market and especially for the ASEAN member countries.

The Tarantula was jointly developed by Mildef in collaboration with the Science Technology Research Institute for Defense (STRIDE) and the Malaysian Armed Forces. The version unveiled at DSA 2022 is now ready to perform the first field trials and protection test.

The design of the Tarantula is standard for this category of 4x4 armored vehicles with the engine at the front, crew in the middle, and troop's compartment at the rear. The body of the vehicle provides ballistic protection STANAG 4569 Level against the firing of small arms 7.62×39mm API caliber and mine protection Level 2a/b against the blast of 6 kg of TNT under the wheels and under the body. The vehicle was produced using 70% of local components including chassis, body and engine while 30% uses foreign components including axle, transmission, and parts of the engine.

In APC configuration, the vehicle has a crew of two and can accommodate up to 8 military personnel. Each side of the vehicle includes two doors and the sitting arrangement consists of four seats facing the front and three seats alongside each side of the hull. The rear part of the vehicle is fitted with a hydraulic ramp. The roof of the vehicle can be fitted with a remotely operated weapon station armed with one machine gun up to 12.7mm caliber.

The Tarantula 4×4 is powered by a Caterpillar 7.2 liters turbocharged engine coupled to an Allison automatic transmission. The vehicle can reach a top road speed of 105 km/h/. The Tarantula has a length of 6.3 m, a width of 2.5 m, and a height of 3.0 m. It has a gross vehicle weight of 16,000 kg with a maximum payload of 2,000 kg.