The Matador and Marauder 4x4 armored vehicle produced by the South African company Paramount Group are now combat-proven after the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The Azeri Defence Magazine reported that the vehicles demonstrated good performance during the five-day war between Azerbaijan and Armenia in April 2016, in an explosion at an ammunition depot in Gilazi, Azerbaijan in 2017, as well as during Azeri military operations launched on the 27th of September 2020 as part of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
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Matador 4x4 armored vehicle of Azerbaijan army. (Picture source Wikimedia)
In 2012, the Azerbaijan Ministry of Defense Industries (MDI) ordered 30 Marauder and 35 Matador mine-protected vehicles, following the establishment of a joint production facility in Azerbaijan and the production of an initial 15 Matador and 15 Marauders under a joint production agreement set up in 2009.
The Marauder is a 4x4 armored vehicle designed and manufactured by the South African company Paramount Group. The vehicle was launched during the IDEX defense exhibition in February 2017. The vehicle is based on a monocoque hull structure with a body shell built up from armor plates, rather than attaching them to a frame. This reduces weight for a given amount of armor.
The Marauder is used as Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) vehicle providing protection level 4a/4b STANAG 4569, against the explosion of 14kg of TNT under the wheels and the body as well as ballistic protection against firing of small arms 7.62 x 54mm RB 32 API and 12.7mm API (Armor-piercing) ammunition.
The Marauder is designed to carry a crew of 2 in the front plus 8 fully equipped soldiers in the rear. it can be configured as a simple wheeled personnel carrier or as an effective combat vehicle by the addition of a heavy machine gun mounted in a variety of turrets.
The Matador is also designed and manufactured by Paramount Group, it was unveiled in 2008 during the defense exhibition AAD in South Africa. The vehicle is also based on a double-skin monocoque hull. The vehicle provides ballistic and mine protection Level III STANAG 4569 against the firing of small arms 7.62mm NATO armor-piercing and 8 kg of TNT explosion under the wheels and body.
The Matador as Armored Personnel Carrier vehicle can accommodate a crew of two and 12 infantrymen. It can be fitted with a manual or remotely operated weapon station armed with light and medium-caliber machine guns.
Marauder 4x4 armored vehicle from Azerbaijan army (Picture Source HHN)
