Sudan's MIC markets UAE-designed protected mobility vehicles

The Rhino protected mobility vehicle is based on a commercial Toyota Land Cruiser 79-series chassis and can carry up to eight personnel. The version of the vehicle displayed on MIC's stand at IDEX 2023 had minor visual differences compared with a photograph of the vehicle shown in the product's brochure. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)

Sudan's Military Industry Corporation (MIC) introduced its Rhino and Rhino 2 protected mobility vehicles at IDEX 2023 held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.

Both vehicles appear to be renamed identical copies of protected mobility vehicles designed and manufactured in the UAE.

This was particularly apparent in the case of the Rhino 2, which was shown at the MIC stand with placards from Harrow Armoured Vehicles. On 17 February 2023, prior to the opening of IDEX 2023, Harrow Armoured Vehicles published a video on its YouTube channel introducing its Merkava protected mobility vehicle, which appeared to be the same vehicle as displayed by MIC under the Rhino 2 name. MIC is not the only company to be marketing the Merkava under a different name, with UAE-based SchutzCarr Global offering the product as the APC Mono-Q 4×4.

The Merkava is based on a Ford F-550 4×4 commercial pickup truck chassis that has been fitted with a five-door armoured body.