The name of this rantis (tactical vehicle) sounds scary, "Gurkha" 4×4, namely the legendary Nepalese troops who are famous for their reputation for high combat capabilities. Apparently the name Gurkha was immortalized as a brand of armored rantis.
And recently there was news that Ukraine had acquired a Gurkha ambulance variant to support the evacuation of personnel injured on the battlefield.
Reported by defence-blog.com, Ukraine's Ministry of Health announced on Monday that the first unit of the Gurkha ambulatory variant, purchased by Medical Procurement of Ukraine with funds raised from the UNITED24 fundraising campaign, had arrived in the country.
According to the Ministry of Health, this armored ambulance costing approximately $262,000, is the first of a total of 13 vehicles purchased to support the evacuation of injured personnel from the front lines to nearby medical facilities. Delivery of 13 Gurkha units in medical evacuation configuration cost US$3.4 million.
Each vehicle is designed to ensure the safe evacuation of casualties by medical teams, with a focus on compliance with NATO ballistics standards, in particular STANAG 4569 Level II.
The Gurkha is unique in that it can be driven even if the tire pressure is lost. This special design allows the vehicle to maintain speeds ranging from 50 to 150 km per hour, depending on vehicle weight and road conditions, even after tire failure.
Practically speaking, if a tire is pierced by shrapnel, the ambulance will not be stranded midway. In addition, this four-wheel drive vehicle allows them to navigate challenging terrain and damaged roads, such as those commonly found in conflict zones.
The Gurkha is manufactured by Terradyne Armored Vehicles, a wholly owned subsidiary of Magna International. The Gurkha family of vehicles is intended for use in defense, law enforcement and homeland security missions. This vehicle can transport elite SWAT units and urban law enforcement teams.
The Gurkha was developed in 2005 by Armet Armored Vehicles. In 2011, the Gurkha vehicle design was purchased by Canadian company Terradyne Armored Vehicles. The name is a tribute to the Gurkhas, Nepalese soldiers who served in the British Army.
From the specifications, the Gurkha is included in the tactical armored vehicle category. The weight of this tank reaches 8.8 tons and is powered by a 6.7L V8 turbo diesel engine which has a power of 330 hp. With a 10-speed transmission, the Gurkha can accelerate up to 128 km per hour. Manned by two people, the Gurkha APC variant can carry 12 troops.