Ratel BAU-23x2
Cataloged conversion using a South African Ratel 6x6 hull lineage and a BAU-23x2 weapon station.
Sources: DefenceWeb Ratel fact file, GlobalSecurity Ratel specificationsBuilt by archive
Reumech OMC Weapon Systems
Reumech OMC was the Reunert-era name for a South African armored-vehicle builder in the Olifant Manufacturing Company lineage. The company and its successor names are tied to wheeled combat vehicles, mine-protected vehicles, and Ratel-family hulls that appear in this catalog through later conversions.
1 weapon systemsReumech OMC sits in the middle of a long South African armored-vehicle lineage. OMC was established around the Olifant tank program in 1978, and the Reumech name was used while the business was part of Reunert's mechanical-systems group.
The builder became known internationally for wheeled armored and mine-protected vehicle work. By the late 1990s it was sold to Vickers and renamed Vickers OMC, then passed through Alvis and BAE Systems before Denel acquired BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa in 2015.
For this archive, the key connection is the Ratel family. The cataloged Ratel BAU-23x2 combines a South African Ratel 6x6 hull lineage with a Ukrainian weapon station and Jordanian conversion context.
Notable Systems
Ratel infantry fighting vehicle family
South African 6x6 infantry fighting vehicle family later associated with BAE Systems Land Systems OMC in reference data.
Sources: DefenceWeb Ratel fact file, GlobalSecurity Ratel specificationsOlifant armored vehicle work
OMC was established around the Olifant program and produced Olifant armored recovery vehicle prototypes according to DITSONG museum material.
Sources: DITSONG Olifant ARVRG-series mine-protected vehicles
Successor Land Systems OMC/LSSA work included RG31 and RG32 mine-protected vehicles and related tactical-wheeled vehicle production.
Sources: BAE Systems LSSA sale announcement, IOL Land Systems RG31 orderBuilder History
Olifant Manufacturing Company established
DITSONG records OMC as established in 1978 during the Olifant armored recovery vehicle and tank upgrade program.
Sources: DITSONG Olifant ARV
Vickers buys Reumech OMC
IOL reported that Vickers bought the South African armored-vehicle manufacturer and that Reumech OMC was renamed Vickers OMC.
Sources: IOL Reumech Vickers acquisition
BAE Systems agrees sale of LSSA to Denel
BAE Systems announced the proposed sale of BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa to Denel, describing LSSA's tactical-wheeled vehicle and related systems business.
Sources: BAE Systems LSSA sale announcement
Denel acquisition completed and business rebranded
DefenceWeb reported that Denel completed the acquisition of LSSA and that BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa was rebranded as Denel Vehicle Systems.
Sources: DefenceWeb Denel acquisition, DefenceWeb DVS rebrand
Predecessors
Successors
Reumech OMC is a historical/renamed builder, so sources use a mixture of OMC, Reumech OMC, Vickers OMC, Land Systems OMC, LSSA, and Denel Vehicle Systems names. No clearly reusable image of a Reumech facility or sign was found during this task; the included image is a reusable Ratel vehicle image tied to the cataloged hull lineage.
Builder Sources
- DITSONG Olifant ARVPublisher: DITSONG Museums of South Africa | Note: Supports Olifant Manufacturing Company background, the 1978 establishment context, and OMC production role. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
- IOL Reumech Vickers acquisitionPublisher: IOL Business Report | Note: Supports Reumech OMC as a South African armored-vehicle manufacturer, its Vickers purchase, and the rename to Vickers OMC. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
- BAE Systems LSSA sale announcementPublisher: BAE Systems | Note: Official BAE Systems announcement supporting LSSA ownership, Denel sale context, and product focus including tactical-wheeled vehicles, driveline products, fire-directing systems, and remote weapon platforms. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
- DefenceWeb Denel acquisitionPublisher: DefenceWeb | Note: Supports Denel's completion of the LSSA acquisition and describes the business segments and vehicle/system focus. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
- DefenceWeb DVS rebrandPublisher: DefenceWeb | Note: Supports the post-acquisition rebrand from BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa to Denel Vehicle Systems. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
- Engineering News LSSA sale reportPublisher: Engineering News | Note: Supports Benoni location and describes LSSA divisions including OMC, Gear Ratio, and Dynamics. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
- DefenceWeb Ratel fact filePublisher: DefenceWeb | Note: Supports Ratel family background, successor manufacturer context, and technical reference context for the cataloged Ratel lineage. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
- GlobalSecurity Ratel specificationsPublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports Reumech OMC and Reumech Sandock manufacturer naming for the Ratel 6x6 infantry fighting vehicle family. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
- IOL Land Systems RG31 orderPublisher: IOL Business Report | Note: Supports successor Land Systems OMC role in armored and mine-protected vehicle manufacturing and Benoni facility context. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
- Denel company profilePublisher: Denel SOC Ltd | Note: Supports current Denel group context and lists Denel Vehicle Systems as a primary military vehicle manufacturing facility. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
- Wikimedia Commons Ratel-20 imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance: own-work photograph of a South African-made Ratel-20 at the Royal Tank Museum, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the image relates to Reumech OMC through the Ratel hull lineage. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
Category
Armored Vehicles
Troop carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, and protected mobility.
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