The Matador is an

armoured personnel carrier An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world. Acc ...

(APC) and mine-protected vehicle that is produced by

Paramount Group Paramount Group is a Global Aerospace & Defence group of companies operating in the global defence, internal security and peacekeeping industries. Established in South Africa in 1994, it offers a range of military aircraft, armoured vehicles, mar ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

. The vehicle was displayed for the first time in 2007, during the

International Defence Exhibition The International Defence Exhibition & Conference, or IDEX, is a biennial arms and defence technology sales exhibition. The exhibition is the largest defence exhibition and conference in the Middle East and takes place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Em ...

and Conference in Abu Dhabi. The Matador was officially launched the following year, at the 2008 African Aerospace and Defence exhibition in

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second larges ...

Vehicle specs

With a curb weight of 10,800 kg and a payload weight of 4,500 kg, the Matador has a maximum crew capacity of fourteen, including a driver and co-driver. The vehicle has a cruise speed of 100 km/h and a maximum range of 700 km. Although it can be used for military and

peacekeeping Peacekeeping comprises activities intended to create conditions that favour lasting peace. Research generally finds that peacekeeping reduces civilian and battlefield deaths, as well as reduces the risk of renewed warfare. Within the United ...

operations in urban areas, it was originally designed for missions in less built-up areas. It therefore has a larger turning circle compared to its sister vehicle, the Marauder, which was specifically developed for urban areas. The Matador is either equipped with a militarised

MAN A man is an adult male human. Prior to adulthood, a male human is referred to as a boy (a male child or adolescent). Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chrom ...

engine integrated with a 12-speed

semi-automatic transmission A semi-automatic transmission is a "theoretical" multiple-speed transmission where part of its operation is automated (typically the actuation of the clutch), but the driver's input would be required to launch the vehicle from a standstill and ...

, or a

Cummins Cummins Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines, filtration, and power generation products. Cummins also services engines and related equipment, including fuel systems, controls, air ...

engine integrated with a fully automated 6-speed

transmission Transmission may refer to: Medicine, science and technology * Power transmission ** Electric power transmission ** Propulsion transmission, technology allowing controlled application of power *** Automatic transmission *** Manual transmission ** ...

. Both technologies are common around the world, allowing the vehicle to be repaired and serviced in most countries, without requiring an independent logistic system.

Armour

The Matador is fitted with a double-skin

monocoque Monocoque ( ), also called structural skin, is a structural system in which loads are supported by an object's external skin, in a manner similar to an egg shell. The word ''monocoque'' is a French term for "single shell". First used for boats, ...

hull, which gives it a modern look and a smooth finish while protecting its occupants against blasts up to STANAG 4569 Level III, the highest level of tested protection. The V-shaped hull comprises three self-jigging plates. This system, developed in South Africa, enables the Matador to withstand the blast of a double

anti-tank mine An anti-tank mine (abbreviated to "AT mine") is a type of land mine designed to damage or destroy vehicles including tanks and armored fighting vehicles. Compared to anti-personnel mines, anti-tank mines typically have a much larger explosive c ...

(14 kg of TNT) at any point beneath the hull, and a triple anti-tank mine (21 kg of TNT) under any wheel.

Armament

The vehicle can be equipped with light and medium-calibre machine guns and cannon weapon installations, as well as mortar firing platforms, missile launchers, combat turret, and command, surveillance and control systems.

Functions

The Matador can be converted to serve various purposes and roles, such as armoured ambulance, command-post vehicle, or utility mine-protected vehicle.

Production

In 2008, for the manufacturing and production of the Matador, the

liaised with King

Abdullah II of Jordan Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein ( ar, عبدالله الثاني بن الحسين , translit=ʿAbd Allāh aṯ-ṯānī ibn al-Ḥusayn; born 30 January 1962) is King of Jordan, having ascended the throne on 7 February 1999. He is a member of ...

and the Design and Development Bureau (KADDB), Jordan's primary governmental military institute for the possible development and manufacturing of defence systems. In 2009, a deal was sealed with the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan to produce Matadors via knock down kits.

Operators

* * : 13 sold in 2013. *

References

{{MRAP vehicles Armoured fighting vehicles of the post–Cold War period Armoured personnel carriers of South Africa Military equipment of Azerbaijan Military vehicles introduced in the 2000s