Kasser II MRAP consignment seen in UAE

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan bin Ahmed al-Jabr inspects Kasser II MRAPs at a facility in Tawazun Industrial Park. (WAM news agency)

A production batch of Kasser II mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles was seen when the United Arab Emirates' (UAE's) minister of industry and advanced technology visited the country's defence industries on 1 August.

A short video released by the UAE's WAM news agency showed the delegation led by Sultan bin Ahmed al-Jabr inspecting at least nine Kasser IIs inside an unidentified facility during the visit to defence companies at Tawazun Industrial Park, which is located in Zayed Military City in Abu Dhabi. Two were numbered as 13 and 14, indicating that at least this many have been produced. It was unclear if they are being made at the facility or undergoing systems integration after delivery.

The Kasser II was unveiled during the IDEX defence show held in Abu Dhabi in February 2021. It has a stated combat weight of 17.2 tonnes, a 400 hp Cummins diesel engine, and can accommodate up to eleven people or nine when fitted with a weapon station.

The MRAP looks similar to the Reva V made by the South African company Integrated Convoy Protection (ICP) but is said to be a product of the previously unknown Abu Dhabi-based company M4 Industries. ICP declined to comment on the Kasser II's similarities to the Reva V.

The Kasser II was displayed at IDEX on the stand of the International Golden Group (IGG), which supplies equipment made by foreign companies to the UAE's military and security forces.