Sons of Bamako - Malian Armed Forces Fighting Vehicles

 

By Thomas Nachtrab in collaboration with Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans

 

The goal of this list is to comprehensively catalogue Mali's current and past inventory of (armoured fighting) vehicles and heavy weaponry. Historically a major recipient of Soviet military aid, frequent arms deliveries in the 1970s and 1980s turned Mali into one of the strongest militaries in western Africa, operating advanced equipment such as dedicated tank destroyers, S-125 SAM systems and MiG-21bis jet fighters. The 1990s and 2000s saw the Malian Army retiring much of this equipment amid a changed security situation and resulting decrease in its defence expenditure.

 

Like most other African militaries, the Malian Army's combat effectiveness in the late 2000s and early 2010s was extremely low, a fact that prevented it from dealing with the 2012 Tuareg insurgency and the subsequent rise of Al-Qaeda, ultimately forcing France to intervene to prevent a hostile takeover of Mali and throwing the rest of the region into turmoil. In the years since, the Malian military has been rebuild with the help of the European Union (EU), with Soviet heavy weaponry making place for modern MRAPs and infantry mobility vehicles. 

Nonetheless, Mali continues to operate equipment like the T-54 and PT-76, albeit in much small numbers than before. Interestingly, the Malian Army appears to have returned several other Soviet-era AFVs back to operational condition in recent years, although these appear to spend most of their time collecting dust in barracks with little training being undertaken as they are of little use in fighting the ongoing insurgency. Nonetheless, the ultimate result is an exotic inventory of equipment that could surprise many seasoned analyst for its sheer diversity.

 

(Click on the equipment to get a picture of them in Malian service)

 

Equipment Currently In Service With The Malian Army

Tanks

• T-54 MBT (Rarely used operationally)
  
• PT-76 Mod. 1952 Light Tank (Rarely used operationally)
  
• Type-62 Light Tank (In operational condition but not in active use)

Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs)

• BRDM-2 Reconnaissance Vehicle
• 9P133 ATGM Carrier-Based Reconnaissance Vehicle

Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs)

• BMP-1 (In operational condition but not in active use)

Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs)

• BTR-152
  
• BTR-60PB Two configurations: (2) (At least one operates without a turret)
  
• BTR-70
• WZ-551
• VN2C
• Fahd Three configurations: (2, with a 12.7mm DShK HMG) (3, with a 12.7mm DShK HMG and 7.62mm PK LMG)

 

Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles

• Streit Group Typhoon 4x4 Six configurations: (2, with a 7.62mm PKM LMG) (3, with a 12.7mm DShK HMG) (4, with a 12.7mm Kord HMG) (5, with a 30mm AGS-17 AGL) (6, with a 12.7mm M2 HMG)
• Streit Group Gladiator Two configurations: (2, with a 12.7mm Kord HMG)
• Streit Group Typhoon 6x6 (Armed with a HMG)
  
• Streit Group Tornado 6x6
• Streit Group/KrAZ MPV TC ''Shrek One''
• OTT PUMA M36-15 (Armed with a 12.7mm DShK)
• OTT PUMA M36-15 Logistics Variant
• Paramount Maurader Two configurations: (2, with a 14.5mm KPV HMG RWS)
• Casspir Two configurations: (2, with a 12.7mm DShK HMG)
• OTT Casspir (Armed with a 12.7mm DShK)
• RG-31 Nyala (Used by the Gendarmerie)
• VP11

 

Infantry Mobility Vehicles (IMVs)

• Panhard PVP (Armed with a 12.7mm M2 HMG)
• ACMAT Bastion Four configurations: (2, with a 12.7mm DShK HMG) (3, with a 12.7mm Kord HMG) (4, with a 14.5mm KPV HMG)
• ACMAT Bastion Ambulance
• URO VAMTAC
• Stark Motors Storm Three configurations: (2, with a 7.62mm PKM LMG) (3, with a 12.7mm Kord HMG)
• Kia KLTV (Armed with a 7.62mm PKM LMG) Two configurations: (2, with a 12.7mm DShK HMG)
• VN4
• Streit Group Cougar Three configurations: (2, with a 7.62mm SGMB LMG) (3, with a 12.7mm DShK HMG)
• Streit Group Python (Not yet seen)
  

 

All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)

• Lynx CS/VP11

 

Utility Vehicles

• ACMAT ALTV Six configurations: (2) (3, with a 7.62mm SG-43 LMG) (4, with a 7.62mm PKM LMG) (5, with a 12.7mm Kord HMG) (6, with a 12.7mm M2 HMG)
• ACMAT ALTV Ambulance
• MasstecH T4 Five configurations: (2, with a 7.62mm PK LMG) (4, with a 12.7mm Kord HMG) (5, with a 12.7mm Type-54 HMG) (5, with a 12.7mm M2 HMG)
• Kia KM420
  
• Kia KM450 Fourteen configurations: (2, with a 7.62mm RPD LMG) (3, with a 7.62mm PKM LMG) (4, with a 12.7mm DShK HMG) (5, with a 12.7mm W85 HMG) (6, with a 12.7mm Kord HMG) (7, with a 12.7mm M2 HMG) (8, with a 14.5mm KPV) (9, with a 14.5mm ZPU-1 AA gun) (10, armed with a 14.5mm QJG-02 AA gun) (11, with a 14.5mm ZPU-2 AA gun) (12, with a 14.5mm BPU-1 turret) (13, with a 23mm ZU-23 AA gun) (14, with a 30mm AGS-17 AGL)
  
• Kia KM450 Ambulance
• Dongfeng EQ2500 Five configurations: (2) (3, with a 7.62mm PKM LMG) (4, with a 12.7mm DShK HMG) (5, with a 14.5mm KPV HMG)
  
• Toyota Land Cruiser Twenty-three configurations: (2) (3, armed with a 7.62mm SG-43 Goryunov LMG) (4, armed with a 7.62mm SGM LMG) (5, armed with a 7.62mm PKM LMG) (6, armed with a 7.62mm PKT LMG) (7, armed with a 12.7mm DShK HMG) (8, armed with a 12.7mm W85 HMG) (9, armed with a 12.7mm NSV HMG) (10, armed with a 12.7mm Kord HMG) (11, armed with a 12.7mm Type 85 HMG) (12, armed with a 12.7mm M2 HMG) (13, armed with a 12.7mm M2 HMG and 7.62mm PK LMG) (14, armed with a 14.5mm KPV HMG) (15, armed with a 14.5mm ZPU-1 AA gun) (16, armed with a 14.5mm ZPU-2 AA gun) (17, armed with a 14.5mm ZPU-2 AA gun and a 7.62mm PKM LMG) (18, armed with a 14.5mm BPU-1 turret) (19, armed with a 23mm ZU-23 AA gun) (20, armed with a 30mm AGS-17 AGL) (21, armed with a 73mm SPG RCL) (22, armed with a 82mm SPG-82 RCL) (23, with a 107mm Type-63 MRL) 
  
• Toyota Land Cruiser Ambulance
• Toyota Land Cruiser Prado
• Toyota Land Cruiser GXR
• Nissan NP300 Two configurations: (2, armed with a 7.62mm SG-43 Goryunov LMG)
• Nissan Frontera
• Mitsubishi L200
• Land Rover Defender Two configurations: (2)
  
• Land Rover Defender Ambulance
  

Towed Artillery

• 100mm MT-12 'Rapira' anti-tank gun
• 122mm (D-30) howitzer 2A18

Multiple Rocket Launchers (MRLs)

• 107mm Type-63
• 122mm 9P122 'Grad-P'
• 122mm BM-21 'Grad'

Mortars

• 60mm M57
  
• 82mm 82-BM-37
• 120-PM-43 mortar

 

(Self-Propelled) Anti-Aircraft Guns

• 12.7mm DShK
• 14.5mm ZPU-1 
• 14.5mm QJG-02
  
• 23mm ZSU-23-4 'Shilka' (Rarely used operationally) 

 

Reconnaissance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

• Hawker Q800X
• Orlan-10 (Operated by Wagner PMC)
  

 

Unmanned Aerial Combat Vehicles (UCAVs)

• Bayraktar TB2

 

Trucks

• ACMAT VLRA 4x4 Seven configurations: (2) (3) (4, with a 12.7mm DShK HMG) (5, with a 14.5mm KPV HMG) (6, with a 14.5mm ZPU-1 AA gun) (7, with a 14.5mm ZPU-2 AA gun)
• ACMAT VLRA 6x6
• Berliet GBC-180 Four configurations: (2) (3) (4)
  
• Renault T430 Two configurations: (2)
• Renault Kerax
  
• Renault Kerax Wrecker
  
• SNVI M120
• SNVI M230
• SNVI M350
• Iveco 330.30 ANW
• Iveco Eurocargo
• DAF 2800 6x4
  
• MAN KAT1 4x4
• MAN KAT1 6x6
• MAN KAT1 8x8
  
• MAN TGS 35.440  
• Mercedes-Benz MB1017  
• Mercedes-Benz Actros
• Mercedes-Benz Atego
• Magirus Eckhauber 3. Generation
• Unimog 1300
• Unimog 1300 Ambulance
• Ural-4320 Two configurations: (2, armed with a 14.5mm ZPU-4 AA gun)
• GAZ-3308 'Sadko'
• Dongfeng EQ1092F
• Dongfeng EQ140-1C
• Dongfeng EQ240 Two configurations: (2)
• FAW CA1122J
• Howo Sinotruk 4x4 Two configurations: (2)
• Howo Sinotruk 6x6 Three configurations: (2) (3)
• Hongyan Genlyon
• Jiefang J5 
  
• Sachman SX2190
  

 

Engineering Vehicles

• Caterpillar bulldozer
• M-Boot
  

Equipment Formerly In service With The Malian Army

Tanks

• T-34/85
• FT-17
  

Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs)

• BTR-40 APC
• 9P133 Tank Destroyer (Some repurposed as fire-support vehicles armed with ZU-23s or reconnaissance vehicles)
  

 

Towed Artillery

• 76mm (ZiS-3) Anti-Tank Gun M-1942
• 85mm D-44 Divisional Gun

 

Multiple Rocket Launchers (MRLs)

• 132mm BM-13

 

Anti-Aircraft Guns

• 14.5mm ZPU-2 
• 37mm M-1939

 

Surface-To-Air Missile Systems (SAMs)

• S-125 ''SA-3''
  

 

Radars

• P-12/18 'Spoon Rest'
• P-15 'Flat Face A'
• SNR-125 'Low Blow' (for S-125) (Not yet seen)

 

Utility Vehicles

• UAZ-452 
• UAZ-469 
• GAZ-69 
• Beijing BJ212
• VW Iltis
• VW T3
• Land Rover Series III 
  

 

Trucks

• GAZ-66
• ZiL-131 Four configurations: (2) (3) (4)
  
• ZiL-157
• MAZ-537
• Ural-4320 Crane
• Mercedes-Benz SK
• Mercedes-Benz 1113 Double Cabin
• MAN Hauber
• Magirus Eckhauber
• Unimog Ambulance
• Renault R340
• Unknown Truck

 

Engineering Vehicles

• GSP-55
• PTS
• Hanomag Dozer
• Grader
• Unknown Loader Two configurations: (2)
• Unknown Roller

 

Special thanks to Farooq Bhai.

 

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