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BNCFM SIBMAS


6x6 Wheeled Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV)


Belgium | 1983



"Despite a worldwide popularity for low-cost, amphibious wheeled armored vehicles, the Belgian SIBMAS only found one taker in the Malaysian Army."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one land system design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the BNCFM SIBMAS 6x6 Wheeled Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV).
1 x MAN D2566 MK 6-cylinder inline diesel turbocharged engine developing 320 horsepower driving 6x6 all-wheel arrangement.
Installed Power
62 mph
100 kph
Road Speed
621 miles
1,000 km
Range
Structure
The physical qualities of the BNCFM SIBMAS 6x6 Wheeled Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV).
3
(MANNED)
Crew
24.0 ft
7.32 meters
O/A Length
8.2 ft
2.5 meters
O/A Width
9.1 ft
2.77 meters
O/A Height
35,274 lb
16,000 kg | 17.6 tons
Weight
Armament & Ammunition
Available supported armament, ammunition, and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the BNCFM SIBMAS 6x6 Wheeled Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV).
APC (Base):
1 x 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun on hull roof.

AFSV:
1 x 90mm Cockerill Mk III main gun.
1 x 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.
1 x 7.62mm Anti-Aircraft (AA) Machine Gun.
16 x Smoke Grenade Dischargers.

OPTIONAL TURRETS/ARMAMENT (Marketed):
2 x 7.62mm Machine Guns in turret.
1 OR 2 x 20mm Cannons in turret.
AMMUNITION:
Dependent upon armament configuration.
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the BNCFM SIBMAS family line.
SIBMAS - Base APC Model; crew of three with seating for eleven; 1 x 7.62mm GPMG.
SIBMAS AFSV-90 - Light Tank / Armored Fire Support Vehicle; armed with 90mm main gun in two-man turret; crew of three; AA machine gun and coaxial machine gun.
SIBMAS ARV - Armored Recovery Vehicle; with powered winch and lift crane; sans turret and armament.
SIBMAS CAR - CARgo Hauler Transport
SIBMAS AMB - Armored AMBulance
SIBMAS COM - COMmand Post Vehicle
SIBMAS MOR - MORtar Carrier
SIBMAS IFV - 20mm cannon in turret
SIBMAS AA - 2 x 20mm cannon in turret for air defense service.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/26/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Emerging from BN Constructions Ferroviaries et Metalliques (BNCFM) of Belgium during the mid-1970s was the export-minded SIBMAS, a 6x6 wheeled armored vehicle with multi-role battlefield intentions. The base model became an Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) and an Armored Recovery Vehicle (ARV) and Armored Fire Support Vehicle (AFSV) were soon added to the line. Other marketed types included a mortar carrier, general cargo hauler, armored ambulance, and an armored command post vehicle as well as a variety of possible turret types. Highly traditional in its design, the SIBMAS was only adopted by the Army of Malaysia since its introduction in 1983. Development work began in 1975 producing a pilot vehicle the following year and deliveries to the Malaysian Army ended in 1985, totaling 186 units (including 24 of the ARV variety with the majority being the AFSV-90 mark).

The base IFV variant featured a standard operating crew of three with seating for up to eleven passengers in the rear fighting compartment. Drive power was from a MAN D2566 MK diesel-fueled turbocharged engine delivering 320 horsepower output and installed in a compartment at rear-left in the hull. The entire 6x6 wheeled arrangement was suspended for appropriate cross county capabilities. Road speeds can reach up to 100 kmh on ideal surfaces with operational ranges out to 1,000 kilometers. As an inherently amphibious armored vehicle, the SIBMAS could traverse water sources as required though speeds in such actions reached only 11 kmh - propulsion provided for by a twin propeller arrangement fitted at the lower rear of the hull.

The standard hull design was an all-modern offering with angled, faceted panels along the front and sides of the vehicle. The glacis plate itself was well sloped towards the hull roof line with the driver's compartment centered at front and behind thick bulletproof screens. Additional protection was provided through the flip-up armored visors along the three-panel window arrangement at the cockpit. Access doors for the crew and passengers were fitted along the sides of the vehicle (between the first and second axles). Thick glass vision ports were also found along the sides as were firing ports - the latter serving to allow the occupants to engage enemies with small arms fire from personal weapons typically carried by infantry elements. Road wheels were large, rubber-tired, and of the run-flat variety, giving excellent ground clearance in avoiding obstacles and keeping the belly of the vehicle as far away as possible from detonating mines or IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices). Additional crew entry was granted at the rear of the vehicle hull as well.

The ARV model featured a standard operating crew of three and lost its troop-carrying capabilities as well as any turreted armament options. It did, however, feature the requisite heavy-lift crane and towing winch for the ARV role.

The aforementioned AFSV - the SIBMAS AFSV-90 - was outfitted with a 90mm Cockerill Mk III series gun in a traversing two-man turret seated atop the hull roof. The main gun armament was complemented by a 7.62mm FN MAG coaxial General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) installation. Additionally there was a 7.62mm anti-aircraft machine gun on the turret roof. The main gun was coupled to a modern Fire Control System (FCS) for assisted operation and improved first-hit probability. The turret also carried large banks of smoke grenade dischargers for self-screening. A pintle mounting at the rear hull allowed for an additional machine gun to be installed and operated by a passenger through one of the available hull roof hatches.

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Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the BNCFM SIBMAS. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national land systems listing.

Total Production: 186 Units

Contractor(s): BN Construcions Ferroviaries et Metalliques (BNCFM) - Belgium
National flag of Malaysia

[ Malaysia ]
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Image of the BNCFM SIBMAS
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