The Ratel ("Honey Badger") Infantry Fighting Vehicle was a long-running family of 6x6 armored vehicles developed and produced in South Africa. The series was designed around the same wheeled chassis developed to undertake a variety of battlefield roles as required. Design work on the type by Sandock-Austral began in 1968, producing the first prototype in 1974. Quantitative production then began in 1979. For over thirty years, the vehicle has seen extensive service with the armed forces of South Africa, Jordan, Djibouti, Ghana and Morocco. Its long legacy has ensured it a place in South African Army lore though the Ratel is set to be replaced by the more modern Finnish Patria family of modular 8x8 wheeled vehicles. South African armed forces are expected to procure some 264 examples of the newer "Badger" and field it in various battlefield guises, in effect taking the mantel from the Ratel. For its time, the Ratel was one of the best - if not the best - armored wheeled vehicles anywhere in the world. It has since been surpassed by more modern breeds incorporating the latest in battlefield technologies, weaponry and survivability.
South Africa had long held a military and security tradition of procuring various armored wheeled vehicles throughout its history - mostly European in origin. However, when the international community placed an arms embargo upon the country, the South Africa authorities had to look to indigenous solutions in an effort to fulfill growing military requirements. To that end, the South Africans have since become something of experts in the field of wheeled armored vehicles - primarily where land mines are a concern - due to the types of "Bush" conflicts regularly encountered in the region, a place where unconventional warfare has proven the norm.
Vehicles such as the Ratel present various advantages and disadvantages to military warplanners. They are lightly armored, making them agile and fast while also making them more susceptible to land mines, anti-tank weapons (missiles, rifles and cannon). Their wheeled nature allows them access to many terrain types under their own power without the need for dedicated heavy land transports. This also served to promote a rather tall target profile however. Perhaps the single best selling point of such vehicles is their modular nature - a single chassis and hull that allows warplanners the ability to adapt their vehicles to suit operational needs. As such, when armed, the Ratel can offer varying levels of fire support to advancing infantry. Some versions can carry combat-ready personnel to the fight while others can serve as communications between headquarters and other participating vehicles and allied elements. Still others can provide life-saving, on-call smokescreens or suppressive fire.
Representing a complete family of armored vehicles, the Ratel has been broadly adapted to specific battlefield roles. The original production version was the Ratel 20 which featured a French-based turret emplacement mounting a 20mm cannon. This variant was subsequently improved in two production marks (Mk II and Mk III). The Ratel 60 followed with a traversing turret (reconstituted from Eland 60 series armored cars) and a 60mm mortar for indirect fire support. The similar Ratel 80 made use of an 81mm field mortar but lacked a traversing turret. The Ratel 90 included a 90mm cannon (based on the French GIAT F1) as well as interior room for up to six troops (the latter rarely practiced in operational service). The Ratel 120, as its designation suggested, was a prototype fielding a 120mm mortar - though never accepted for serial production. The Ratel was also produced as a dedicated command vehicle with increased communications facilities and a crew of nine. A turret was retained though armed with only a 1 x 12.7mm heavy machine gun for basic self-defense. The Ratel EAOS (Enhanced Artillery Observation System) was, naturally, an artillery-spotting vehicle. The Ratel ZT3 sported an all-new turret that introduced provision for up to 3 x anti-tank guided missiles with reloads (the ZT-3 missile was featured early, then upgraded to "Leopard" missiles later) but was essentially the same chassis and hull of the Ratel 20 series. A logistical variant existed in two prototype models, interestingly, these being designed with eight-wheel support. Another version was finished as a battlefield workshop intended to supply in-the-field mechanical support.
Beyond its main armament, the Ratel could be fitted with a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun (if equipped with a turret) as well as an additional 1 x 7.62mm general purpose machine gun(s) on the turret roof for countering low-flying aircraft or enemy infantry attempting to assail the vulnerable regions of the vehicle. Another 7.62mm machine gun could be added to the hull roof. For additional self-defense, the Ratel was further equipped with 4 x smoke grenade dischargers, this useful for covering an advance or screening a retreat.
Ratels were effectively fielded by South African warplanners in various regional and local conflicts to which the Ratel family gave good service - especially in the anti-armor, command and infantry support roles. In practice, the Ratels were steady performers, utilizing their array of armaments to good effect even against combat tanks. While not inherently designed to directly counter threats from the then-modern Main Battle Tanks fielded in the region, Ratels equipped with either anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) or 90mm cannons could effectively "knock out" such systems with some skillful maneuvering - this proven in combat actions against Soviet-built tanks during the South African Border War (1966-1989). Of course its own light protection often exposed crews to deadly enemy return fire as armor thickness (up to 20mm) was only really adequate against small arms, artillery "spray" and small-caliber cannons. On today's modern battlefield, however, the Ratel is wholly outclassed against the latest MBTs in service - though the Ratel was never really designed for such direct action to begin with so the comparison is moot.
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.
Specifications
Land Systems OMC - South Africa Manufacturer(s)
Djibouti; Ghana; Jordan; Morocco; South Africa Operators
ANTI-TANK / ANTI-ARMOR
Base model or variant can be used to track, engage, and defeat armored enemy elements at range.
INFANTRY SUPPORT
Support allied ground forces through weapons, inherent capabilities, and / or onboard systems.
RECONNAISSANCE
Can conduct reconnaissance / scout missions to assess threat levels, enemy strength, et al - typically through lightweight design.
23.7 ft (7.212 meters) Length
8.3 ft (2.526 meters) Width
9.6 ft (2.915 meters) Height
41,888 lb (19,000 kg) Weight
20.9 tons (Medium-class) Tonnage
1 x Bussing D3256 BTXF 6-cylinder in-line, turbocharged, diesel-fueled engine developing 282 horsepower at 2,200rpm driving conventional six-wheeled arrangement. Drive System
65 mph (105 kph) Road Speed
621 miles (1,000 km) Road Range
STANDARD ARRANGEMENT:
1 x 20mm semi-automatic cannon.
1 x 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.
1 x 7.62mm anti-aircraft machine gun.
4 x Smoke Grenade Dischargers.
VARIANT DEPENDENT:
1 x 81mm mortar.
1 x 12.7mm heavy machine gun.
1 x 90mm cannon.
1 x Anti-Tank Guided Missile Launcher (3 x ready to fire in launcher).
AMMUNITION
4 x Smoke Grenades.
Ratel-20 Mk I - Primary Infantry Fighting Vehicle; French turret with 20mm cannon.
Ratel-20 Mk II - Improved IFV Version
Ratel-20 Mk III - Improved IFV Version
Ratel-60 - Reconnaissance and Support Version; 3 crew, 7 passengers; Eland 60 turret armed with mortar and machine gun.
Ratel-81 - Fire Support Platform; sans Turret; 81mm mortar fitted.
Ratel-90 - Fire Support Platform; 3 crew, 6 passengers; Eland 90 turret with 90mm main gun.
Ratel-ZT3 - Anti-Tank Guided Missile Platform.
Ratel Command Vehicle - Two-man turret; 1 x 12.7mm armament; 9 crew.
Ratel EAOS (Enhanced Artillery Observation System) - Artillery Spotter Platform.
Ratel Maintenance Vehicle - Mobile Maintenance Platform.
Ratel Logistic Vehicle - Proposed logistical vehicle; 8x8 wheel configurations; only 2 prototypes completed.
Iklawa - Related Ratel development produced by BAe Systems Land Systems SA; upgraded drive train and hull; engine relocated from rear of hull to front.
Images
1 / 1
Left side profile illustration view of the Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicle
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.
