Badger IFV

The Badger is a South African eight-wheeled infantry fighting vehicle that Denel Land Systems is developing for the South African Army under Project Hoefyster, as a modified and better protected version of the Finnish Patria AMV adapted to local conditions. It was meant to replace the Army's ageing Ratel vehicles, and a contract for 264 vehicles was signed in June 2007, with design work on five armed variants originally due to finish by 2012. Delays, a Special Investigating Unit inquiry into the hull contract and doubts about the maker's capacity left no Badgers delivered by 2022, the order was cut to 88 in 2024, and the project was paused that November. The vehicle has a crew of three and carries eight troops, is powered by a turbocharged Scania DI 12 540 hp engine, and uses a Denel turret that normally mounts a 30 mm cannon. Six variants are planned: section, fire support, mortar, command, missile and ambulance.