MWMIK
Encyclopedia
The Jackal or MWMIK or Mobility Weapon-Mounted Installation Kit is a family of vehicles designed and developed by Supacat
Ltd at their factory in Honiton
, Devon (UK) for use by the British Army
.
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 Plymouth
based company DML
(part of Babcock Marine Services, owned by Babcock International Group
). The initial order was for up to 100 and it was announced on June 27, 2008 that the MOD
would be ordering a further 72. On Jun 23, 2010 it was announced by the Ministry of Defence that 140 additional Jackal 2 vehicles were being ordered, and according to the same source this would bring the number of Jackals in service up to 500.
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 497 mi (799.8 km).
The vehicle is based on the HMT (High Mobility Truck) 400 high-mobility 4×4 design developed by a former subsidiary of Supacat, now built under licence from Lockheed Martin
. The chassis is built by Universal Engineering Ltd, the engine by Cummins
, the transmission by Allison
, the suspension shock absorbers by Fox Racing Shox 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 (78.9 km/h) and can reach a top speed of 80 mph (128.7 km/h).
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. In particular the Snatch Land Rover, although able to withstand small arms fire, is vulnerable to improvised explosive device
s and was labelled by some a "mobile coffin". On 8 April 2008, it was announced that the MWMIK had been deployed to Helmand Province
, Afghanistan, as the Jackal 4x4 Patrol Vehicle.
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.
s and a range of other platform variants.
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. It uses drum brakes. The extra two wheels give a heavier vehicle approaching 10500 kg (10.3 LT) which will act in support of the Jackal 2 and allow transportation of supplies and equipment over similar terrain (the payload for supplies and equipment will be 1.5t). The Coyote has been designed to fulfil the role of a light tactical service vehicle.
Supacat
Supacat, officially Supacat Limited, is a British company which designs and manufactures high mobility vehicles. Established in 1981, and based at the Airfield, Dunkeswell, Devon, Supacat develops specialist vehicles for both civil customers and the military.-Products:* The 6x6 All Terrain...
Ltd at their factory in Honiton
Honiton
Honiton is a town and civil parish in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, north east of Exeter in the county of Devon. The town's name is pronounced in two ways, and , each pronunciation having its adherents...
, Devon (UK) for use by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
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 Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
based company DML
Devonport Management Limited
DML was the company which owns and manages Devonport Royal Dockyard, the largest dockyard in Western Europe. DML was owned by Babcock International Group who purchased it from previous owners; KBR , Balfour Beatty and The Weir Group ....
(part of Babcock Marine Services, owned by Babcock International Group
Babcock International Group
Babcock International Group plc is a British-based support services company specialising in managing complex assets and infrastructure in safety-critical and mission-critical environments. Although the company has civil contracts, its main business is with public bodies, particularly the UK...
). The initial order was for up to 100 and it was announced on June 27, 2008 that the MOD
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
would be ordering a further 72. On Jun 23, 2010 it was announced by the Ministry of Defence that 140 additional Jackal 2 vehicles were being ordered, and according to the same source this would bring the number of Jackals in service up to 500.
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 497 mi (799.8 km).
Design and development
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." The vehicle's suspension system provides a more stable firing platform while moving and the 1 metre ground clearance allows 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.The vehicle is based on the HMT (High Mobility Truck) 400 high-mobility 4×4 design developed by a former subsidiary of Supacat, now built under licence from Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
. The chassis is built by Universal Engineering Ltd, the engine by Cummins
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems...
, the transmission by Allison
Allison Transmission
Allison Transmission is an American manufacturer of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Allison products are specified by over 250 of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and are used in many market sectors including bus, refuse, fire, construction,...
, the suspension shock absorbers by Fox Racing Shox and the electronics package by Fujitsu
Fujitsu
is a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues....
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 (78.9 km/h) and can reach a top speed of 80 mph (128.7 km/h).
Afghanistan deployment
The vehicle was procured to provide British forces in AfghanistanAfghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
with an off-road patrol and fire-support vehicle with increased performance, supplementing the Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
Wolf WMIK and the Snatch Land Rover
Snatch Land Rover
The Snatch Land Rover is a protected patrol vehicle, based around the Land Rover Defender 110 chassis, intended for general patrolling in low-threat areas and is the successor to the Truck Utility Medium with Vehicle Protection Kit...
which previously fulfilled the role. In particular the Snatch Land Rover, although able to withstand small arms fire, is vulnerable to improvised explosive device
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
s and was labelled by some a "mobile coffin". On 8 April 2008, it was announced that the MWMIK had been deployed to Helmand Province
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
, Afghanistan, as the Jackal 4x4 Patrol Vehicle.
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.
Other versions
Jackal 2
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.Coyote
Coyote Tactical Support Vehicles are a larger 6x6 design with more than 70 ordered as medium load carriers, artillery tractorArtillery tractor
Artillery tractor is a kind of tractor, also referred to as a gun tractor, a vehicle used to tow artillery pieces of varying weights.-Traction:...
s and a range of other platform variants.
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. It uses drum brakes. The extra two wheels give a heavier vehicle approaching 10500 kg (10.3 LT) which will act in support of the Jackal 2 and allow transportation of supplies and equipment over similar terrain (the payload for supplies and equipment will be 1.5t). The Coyote has been designed to fulfil the role of a light tactical service vehicle.