INDUSTRY NEWS SPECIAL

Mildef’s New Armoured Vehicle Factory Open For Business

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MALAYSIAN armoured vehicle manufacturer MILDEF International Technologies today officially launched its latest manufacturing plant to accommodate incoming orders here in the state of Negeri Sembilan. The launch was officiated by the prime minister Anwar Ibrahim alongside the defence minister Khaled Nordin, the state’s chief minister Aminuddin Harun and Mildef managing director Mohd Nizam Kasa.

The US$473 million facility will substantially boost the company’s production capacity while simultaneously building up Malaysia’s indigenous defence industry infrastructure. It is expected to be fully operational by the first quarter of 2026.

YAB Perdana Menteri, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, semasa lawatan ke kilang kenderaan perisai Mildef International Technologies di Sendayan, Negeri Sembilan. 23 Ogos 2025. IZZUDDIN ABD RADZAK/Pejabat Perdana Menteri. NO SALES; NO ARCHIVE; RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout videos may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the visual or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the videos may require furth

The prime minister said, ““The government must invest heavily in defence procurement to ensure greater preparedness, and not rely solely on foreign sources. We need to build domestic capability through research and private-sector production, fully supported by the Defence Ministry and universities.” He also added that while the full weight of the government will be thrown in to support the local defence industry, it must come with greater transparency as the country aims to increase spending and strengthen its land, air, and maritime defence.

According to Mildef’s MD, Mildef now employs 150 skilled local workers in mainly technical roles which can produce a minimum of 80 armoured vehicles among other vehicle types yearly. Mildef would also deliver 60 units of its homegrown Tarantula High Mobility Armoured Vehicles (HMAV) 4×4 to the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) from 2027 onwards. Split in 30 units for an early 2027 delivery and another 30 to follow by year end, the 60 vehicles are part of a phased delivery for a 136-vehicle order over a five-year duration once the completed Final User Vehicle or Seal Pattern can be utilised as a reference model for full-rate production.

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) had awared Mildef a letter of intent (LOI) valued at US$425m for the 136-unit 4×4 programme and is the sole Malaysian firm competing in a 50-vehicle United Nations (UN) tender for the Ribat High Mobility Light Tactical Vehicle (HMLTV).

Based on the firm’s earlier Tarantula 4×4, the Ribat was fully designed by Mildef to be smaller and launched by the prime minister in Langkawi during the recent Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition in May. As much as 70% of the vehicle’s components was developed by local talents while only a small portion of its components including the engine and transmission were imported to be integrated into the Ribat in-country.

The Ribat is the manifestation of the company’s sense of national responsibility and the need to be self-reliant in terms of the country’s military asset development, without having to depend on foreign support, including maintenance. Furthermore, Mildef has also stepped up it’s global competitiveness as the country’s leading land defence industrial firm, participating in defence exhibitions across the globe including the United Arab Emirates, France, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia to break into regional and international markets.

Mildef also partnered with MINDEF’s Defence Science and Technology Research Institute (STRIDE) which focuses on developing another two more tactical vehicle platforms locally as well as another collaboration with Indonesian giant PT Pindad on prospective opportunities.–-shp/adj/dl (Pix:MILDEF)