A new armoured fighting vehicle for paratroops was unveiled in South Africa late last year. It has been developed by Mechem Consultants (a Denel company) to meet the requirements of South African Defence Force (SADF) parachute battalions for an air-droppable mine and ballistic-protected support vehicle to replace a local adaptation of the ageing Ferret scout car. Following prototype testing and adoption by the SADF, which named the vehicle Ysterarend or Iron Eagle after the South African paratroop insignia, the design is now being industrialized prior to production. The initial order quantity is expected to be around 50, and Mechem has started to promote the Iron Eagle for the wider infantry, reconnaissance, and rapid-deployment forces' markets. For logistics commonality reasons, and in view of the very large number of components and spares of this kind held in South Africa, it was stipulated from the outset that Iron Eagles should be based on Mercedes Benz Unimog truck components. It was further stipulated that three vehicles should be transportable in a C-130 Hercules aircraft, which can carry only two ferrets. The Mechem designers have accordingly come up with a 4t 4x5 vehicle, whose monocoque hull is 3,600mm long, 2,100mm wide, and 1,740mm high. Its low profile, and its low centre of gravity which gives good rough terrain and sideslope mobility, have been achieved at some sacrifice to the Unimog's traditionally high ground clearance. Even so, the Iron Eagle improves upon the Ferret in this regard. The front and rear live axles are fitted with coil springs and hydraulic dampers, the wheels being fitted with large 12.5x20 radial tyres to reduce ground pressure.
