The Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) has emerged as another user of the United Arab Emirates-built MCAV-20 armoured vehicle, joining a growing number of African nations to have acquired the type.
On 22 August, the UPDF said that its Motorised Infantry Division had passed out its first intake of Multi-Role Combat Armoured Vehicle-20 (MCAV-20) drivers after a six-month specialised training programme.
A total of 78 soldiers, including four females, drawn from the Motorised Infantry Division and the Special Forces Command (SFC), successfully completed the course. Colonel Esibio Omaria, the Division Operations and Training Officer, explained that the course was built around five key pillars: offensive and defensive driving, basic maintenance, obstacle crossing, and terrain navigation. “The graduates have attained skills in assertive driving manoeuvres to dominate the road, suppress obstacles, disrupt hostile vehicles, and execute tactics to neutralise threats or extract VIPs under direct attack,” Omaria said.
The Motorised Infantry Division Commander, Major General Charles Byanyima, praised the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, for guiding the modification of the vehicles, which enhanced their operational effectiveness, according to the UPDF.
At least five MCAV-20 vehicles were seen during the graduation ceremony, but it is not clear how many have been acquired by Uganda.
The Motorised Infantry Division is a relatively new formation that the UPDF referred to for the first time in October 2024. It is presumably an expansion of the Motorised Infantry Brigade, which was also based at Nakasongola Cantonment until at least 2022, according to Janes.
The UPDF is the eighth known operator of the MCAV-20, which was launched by Abu Dhabi-based Calidus in February 2021. Other customers include Benin, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Ethiopia, Mauritania, and Mozambique.
The MCAV-20 is one of several vehicles manufactured by Calidus, along with the LRV-20 lightweight 4×4 and Al Wahash 8×8. The latter was designed by South Africa’s ADG Mobility. The MCAV-20 appears to be powered by a 330 hp engine and protected against ballistic and landmine threats. A ‘smart hull design’ allows for the integration of turrets and weapon stations. The vehicle weighs around 7-9 tons and has a top speed of about 110 km/h.
The UAE is strengthening its military relations with Uganda, according to a Janes report, which noted that when Lieutenant General Issa Saif al-Mazrouei, chief of staff of the UAE Armed Forces, visited Uganda in July, the UPDF said he held discussions with Kainerugaba, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s son and the chief of defence forces, on a forthcoming memorandum of understanding that would further enhance military co-operation.
The UPDF also revealed in June 2024 that it had received unspecified training from Global Security Services Group, a company that normally works for the Emirati government, when it thanked its CEO, Mohammad Hamdan Alzaabi.
