Panus HMV-420 (Mosquito)

History of Panus HMV-420 (Mosquito)

The HMV-150 is a Thai indigenous 4x4 Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV) developed for the Vietnam-era (1955-1975) Cadillac Gage "Commando" (V-100) Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC). The new vehicle has been extensively modified to meet the Royal Thai Army's requirements for a versatile, low-cost machine capable of performing a variety of battlefield roles - APC, command and control (CC2), basic security, communications, light reconnaissance, counter-riot and - something like that. The design underwent extensive testing over several months with input from the Royal Thai Army.

A further development came in the form of the HMV-420P launched in November 2018.

Production of the original commando vehicle reached 3,200, with drivers appearing all over the world. Launched in 1964, the line served with the US military in the Vietnam conflict, where it proved its worth to foreign buyers.

About 150 V-150 vehicles make up the modern fleet of the Royal Thai Army. These were modernized by Panus Assembly Ltd to produce the local designation "HMV-150" (HMV = "High Mobility Vehicle") powered by a 350 hp Cummins ISL engine that was paired with an Allison series six-speed Transmission 4500 is connected.

The HMV-150 was launched in 2017.

The origins of this four-wheeled armoured vehicle can be traced back to the American V-100, which is now the basis for the state-of-the-art "HMV-420" introduced in September 2018. The new offering provides better protection and more interior space for its occupants and mounted weapons, while being powered by a 420 hp Cummins diesel unit (Allison 4500 transmission). Armor protection extends to small arms and artillery spray, but mobility is at the heart of such designs. Attention was also paid to improving protection against improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and mines commonly found in urban combat.

Armor can be up to 16mm thick on key panels with a double-layered steel structure.

Combatants of two or three people make room for combat readiness. The driver is seated in the front left, the engine is in the rear left. The entire hull structure is a complete Thai rewrite of the original Cadillac Gage product, retaining the sturdy sloped sides for basic ballistic protection, and all windows are thick and bulletproof.

Access is via hinged side hull doors forward of the rear axle, the design retains the rear door entry and exit points. Firing ports are located on the side of the hull to allow the crew to engage external enemy elements outside the protected range of the truck.

HMV-420P

In November 2018, Panus Assembly Ld introduced its latest HMV-420 product, the HMV-420P Mosquito AFV. The new design represents a form of armor with larger wheels, resulting in a higher height but better ground clearance. The top of the fuselage can accommodate an optional Remote Weapon Station (RWS), which can be equipped with machine guns (up to 12.7mm), grenade launchers and anti-tank missiles (ATGMs) if desired. 6 smoke grenade launchers provide self-shielding capability (three mounted on each side of the turret).

Drive power comes from Cummins diesel, which enables the truck to reach road speeds of up to 110 km/h. All four wheels on the HMV-420P are steerable.

The specifications of the new brand include a weight of 16 tons, a total length of 6.72 meters, a width of 2.85 meters and a height of nearly 3 meters.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

Depends on weapon. 6 x Smoke Grenade (if equipped).

Changes