Jackal (vehicle)

The Jackal or MWMIK[lower-alpha 1] (from "Mobility Weapon-Mounted Installation Kit") is a family of vehicles designed and developed by Supacat Ltd[lower-alpha 2] at their factory in Honiton, Devon, UK, for use by the British Army and Royal Air Force Regiment.[2]

MWMIK (Jackal)
A Jackal armoured vehicle at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan
TypeArmoured Wheeled Vehicle
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Production history
DesignerSupacat
Specifications
Mass6,650 kg (14,660 lb)
Length5.39 m (17 ft 8 in)
Width2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)
Height1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) (not including weapon system)
Crew3
ArmourAdditional composite armour kit
Main
armament
12.7 mm heavy machine gun, or
Heckler & Koch GMG
Secondary
armament
7.62 mm general purpose machine gun
Engine5.9 litre Cummins ISBe Euro3
185 bhp (138 kW)
SuspensionIndependent double wishbone, air operated springs and external bypass shock absorbers (2 per wheel station) with variable ride height
Maximum speed 130 km/h (81 mph)

The primary role of the vehicle in the British Army is deep battlespace reconnaissance, rapid assault and fire support - roles where mobility, endurance and manoeuvrability are important - and it has also been used for convoy protection.

Small production runs are manufactured at the Honiton factory but larger batches are manufactured by DML (part of Babcock Marine Services, owned by Babcock International Group) in Plymouth. The initial order was for up to 100[3] and it was announced on 27 June 2008 that the MOD would be ordering a further 72.[4] On 23 Jun 2010 it was announced by the Ministry of Defence that 140 additional Jackal 2 vehicles were being ordered, and this would bring the number of Jackals in service up to 500.[5]

The MWMIK can carry increased payload and fuel compared to its predecessor, allowing it to carry greater amounts of additional equipment and protection over longer distances, and it is able to support itself and its crew for distances of over 500 mi (800 km).[6]

Design and development

The vehicle was procured to provide British forces in Afghanistan with an off-road patrol and fire-support vehicle with increased performance, supplementing the Land Rover Wolf WMIK and the Snatch Land Rover which previously fulfilled the role.[7] In particular the Snatch Land Rover, although able to withstand small arms fire, is vulnerable to improvised explosive devices and was labelled by some a "mobile coffin".[6][8]

According to the Ministry of Defence, the Jackal "was built to meet the British Army's specific requirements for an agile, well-armed, light patrol vehicle."[6] The vehicle's height-adjustable air suspension system can be lowered onto the bump-stops to provide a stable firing platform when stationary or raised to a maximum 380 mm (15 in) ground clearance allowing it to clear large obstacles. The high levels of off-road mobility enable troops to avoid more conventional routes which may be subject to ambush or enemy reconnaissance.[6]

The vehicle is based on the HMT (High Mobility Transporter) 400 high-mobility 4×4 design developed by a former subsidiary of Supacat, now built under licence from Lockheed Martin.[9][10] The chassis is built by Universal Engineering Ltd, the engine by Cummins, the transmission by Allison, the suspension shock absorbers by Fox Racing Shox[11] and the electronics package by Fujitsu and Smartgauge Electronics. The blast and ballistic armour packages, and the blast mitigating seating were designed and built by Jankel Armouring Ltd. The vehicles can be fitted with a range of weapons, such as a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun, 7.62 mm general purpose machine gun (GPMG) and 40 mm automatic grenade launcher.

The Jackal is capable of maintaining off-road speeds of up to 49 mph (79 km/h) and can reach a top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h).

The Ministry of Defence has stated that the design of the vehicle hull incorporates the latest armour protection and that it is considered to be among the best in the world. The HMT 400 mine blast and ballistic protection system was developed for Supacat by Jankel Armouring Ltd. It features armour plating beneath the crew compartment and on the vehicle sides, as well as attenuating seats that absorb shock from any mine blast. The top of the cabin is left open for visibility, which affords the vehicle protection through its manoeuvrability and main armament stand-off distance. These enable it to avoid exposure to riskier IED prone routes. Despite this Jackal crews have suffered a number of IED attacks, some fatal.[12][13][14]

Operational history

War in Afghanistan

Jackal made its operational debut in Operation Herrick, part of the War in Afghanistan, on 8 April 2008 when it was deployed by the British Army's 16 Air Assault Brigade and the Royal Marines 3 Commando Brigade.[15][16] The vehicle was praised for its off-road performance, with some users likening it to a "dune buggy".[16] The vehicle was also initially praised for its protection; in September 2009, a Royal Marine survived a direct mine explosion whilst in one of the vehicles.[17] By August 2009, however, a total of 13 British soldiers had been killed whilst in the vehicle. This resulted in widespread criticism, with some media outlets calling the vehicle a "deathtrap".[18] Despite not being impervious to IEDs, Jackal remained one of the most favoured patrol vehicles for British troops, according to Defence Minister Quentin Davies.[19] The MOD ordered 110 upgraded models, named the Jackal 2, along with 70 Coyotes, in April 2009 and they were in service from July 2009.[20][21]

The vehicles were also used by the RAF Regiment; during the September 2012 raid on Camp Bastion, a Taliban RPG struck a Jackal, which wounded its crew. One crew member, Sergeant Geddes, continued to rally his team to defend their position, an action for which he later received the Military Cross.[22]

Post-War in Afghanistan

Despite being procured for the War in Afghanistan, the vehicle has remained in service with the British Army. Following the Army 2020 restructuring, the vehicle now equips three light cavalry regiments and is used primarily for light reconnaissance.[23] It has been deployed in this role with the Light Dragoons in Poland since 2016, in support of NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence.[24] Since 2021, the Light Dragoons have also deployed with the vehicle to Mali as part of the Long Range Reconnaissance Group in support of Operation Newcombe.[25]

In 2020, the Ministry of Defence loaned four Jackal 2 vehicles to the Estonian Defence Forces for their special forces to use in Mali until March 2021 or until they receive their order of Coyote vehicles.[26][27]

Variants

Jackal 2
Coyote TSV with British, Australian and American personnel aboard in Afghanistan, 2011

An updated version of the Jackal has been ordered as Jackal 2. The crew has been increased to four and the main armament gun ring moved forward to give it an all round arc of fire. The chassis has been upgraded, allowing the vehicle to carry a greater payload and armour, and providing more strength for protection against roadside bombs. It also has a larger 6.7 L engine, although this does not increase the speed of the vehicle. An initial order for "around 110" vehicles was made in 2009, with final deliveries in February 2010. A further order for 140 of the Jackal 2A was announced on 23 June 2010, which is based on the Jackal 2 platform with a blast protection upgrade.[28][29]

Coyote

Coyote Tactical Support Vehicles are a larger 6×6 design with more than 70 ordered as medium load carriers, artillery tractors and a range of other platform variants.[30][31]

The Coyote tactical support vehicle (TSV light) is based on the HMT 600 6×6 chassis from Supacat and is a larger derivative of the Jackal 2, the two vehicles are designed to be complementary.[32] The extra two wheels give a heavier vehicle approaching 10,500 kg (10.3 long tons; 10.5 t) which will act in support of the Jackal 2 and allow transport of supplies and equipment over similar terrain [the payload for supplies and equipment will be 3,900 kg (3.8 long tons; 3.9 t)]. The Coyote has been designed to fulfil the role of a light tactical service vehicle.

Operators

Current operators
 United Kingdom

The United Kingdom ordered 100 vehicles initially, followed by a further 72 in 2008 and 140 in 2010.[33] The United Kingdom intends to order at least 72 more vehicles and possibly 165 more in future.[34]

 Estonia

Notes
  1. pronounced EmWimmick
  2. Supacat re-branded to SC Group in September 2015, the Supacat brand retained for the group's core defence business.[1]

References
  1. "SC Rebrand takes Supacat into new era". SC Group. 10 September 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  2. "RAF - Jackal". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  3. "Awesome firepower and agility puts Jackal in class of its own". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 17 August 2012.
  4. "Range of new Defence Equipment unveiled at giant event". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 17 August 2012.
  5. "British Troops In Afghanistan To Get New Armored Vehicles". Archived from the original on 31 July 2012.
  6. Q&A: Jackal armoured vehicles, BBC News, 13 December 2008
  7. British to Field 130 Supacat MWMIK Patrol Vehicles
  8. Snatch Land Rovers: the 'mobile coffins' of the British army, The Guardian, 1 November 2008
  9. Supacat HMT 400 Archived 2008-09-23 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Day of the Jackal
  11. Fox Racing Shox Archived 2008-10-22 at the Portuguese Web Archive
  12. "Soldiers Cheated Death in Open Top Vehicle=People News". 23 January 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  13. "Corporals killed in vehicle blast". BBC News. 17 March 2009. Retrieved 17 March 2009.
  14. "Four UK soldiers killed in one day in Helmand province". London: Times Online. 8 May 2009. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
  15. "Awesome firepower and agility puts Jackal in class of its own". Archived from the original on 17 August 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2008.
  16. "New Jackal 2 in Afghanistan by Autumn 2009". Defense Update. 21 April 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  17. "Blast-hit marine praises Jackal". BBC News. 23 September 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  18. Johnson, Andrew (9 August 2009). "Revealed: How Army's new armoured vehicle is a death trap too". The Independent. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  19. "Jackal 2 makes its public debut". BBC News. 22 April 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  20. "Military Vehicles: Procurement". They Work For You. 9 June 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  21. "Britain orders 200 Jackal, Coyote". Defence Web. 23 April 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  22. "Defenders of Camp Bastion recognised in Operational Honours List". GOV.UK. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  23. "The UK's Armoured Fist". EDR Magazine. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  24. "UK personnel arrive in Poland and Estonia". GOV.UK. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  25. "Mali: British Army Reconnaissance Group Completes Deterrence Operation". BFBS. 8 April 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  26. "UK loans Estonia four Jackal vehicles to support counter-terror mission in Mali". GOV.UK (Press release). Ministry of Defence. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  27. Whyte, Andrew (10 July 2020). "UK loans four Jackal 2 armored vehicles to Estonian special forces". news.err.ee. ERR.
  28. "MoD in £45m Jackal 2a order". Defence Management Online. 24 June 2010. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  29. "Days of the Jackal: Supacat's HMT Vehicles". Defense Industry Daily. 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  30. Ministry of Defence (22 April 2009). "200 new armoured vehicles for front line operations". Archived from the original on 13 May 2009.
  31. "Coyote / Jackal 2 Tactical Support Vehicles, United Kingdom". army-technology.com. 2009.
  32. "HMT 600 - Supacat". Archived from the original on 20 December 2010. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  33. "The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a £45m contract". Supacat. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  34. "UK MoD procuring at least 75 additional Supacat HMTV". Joint-Forces.com. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  35. "UK armed forces equipment and formations 2022". GOV.UK. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  36. "RAF Regiment 75th Anniversary". Defence Synergia. 1 February 2017. In terms of equipment the RAF Regiment has at its disposal a vast range of firepower and vehicle assets are available. These include: the Mobility Weapon-Mounted Installation Kit (MWMIK) 'Jackal'
  37. "Know Your Navy – The Royal Marines". BFBS. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
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