Singapore Army Commissions Protected Combat Support Vehicle

Singapore Army has inducted a 20-tonne four-wheel drive platform Belrex Protected Combat Support Vehicle (PCSV) on Friday.

In a ceremony presided over by the country’s second minister for defense, Ong Ye Kung, the PCSV was commissioned at a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) live firing area in the western part of the island, IHS Jane's 360 reported today.

The PCSV has been conceived as a mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) support platform for the Singapore Army's motorised infantry combat units

Based on the South African Paramount Marauder design, the vehicle can accommodate a crew of two and up to eight personnel in its rear compartment, which can also be configured for a range of missions due to its modular design.

The specifications released by the Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) states that the PCSV can attain a top speed of 110 km/h and a maximum range of 600 km, apart from featuring a power-to-weight ratio of 14.8 hp/t.

The platform can clear vertical steps of up to 0.4 m in height, trenches of up to 0.95 m in depth, and slopes of up to 60%.

The PCSV self-defence capability is provided by a 7.62 mm machine gun in a roof-mounted remote-controlled weapon station.

The vehicle is also equipped with an onboard C4 suite that supports high-speed voice and data communications with the SAF's Army Battlefield Internet (ABI), allowing it to interface with other connected battlefield assets such as the 8x8 Terrex infantry carrier vehicles (ICVs).