Armored Vehicles

RG-31 Nyala

Also known as
  • RG31
  • RG31 Nyala
  • RG-31 Mk5
  • RG-31 Mk5E
  • RG-31 Charger
  • RG-31 ambulance

The RG-31 Nyala is a South African 4x4 mine-protected armored vehicle family built around a V-shaped steel hull for patrol, troop transport, command, utility, EOD, and ambulance roles. In the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War, open sources document Spain supplying Ukraine with a single RG-31 armored ambulance for casualty evacuation and protected medical movement.

RG-31 Nyala, 4x4 mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle, Armored Vehicles
Image source: Spanish RG-31 Nyala Afghanistan Image

Role in Conflicts

Protected Ambulance Context

The Ukraine row is limited to the Spanish-donated ambulance documented in March-April 2022, not to every RG-31 combat role or foreign operator.

Transfer

Spain sent one RG-31 Nyala armored ambulance to Ukraine alongside medical supplies.

Sources: Spanish Defence Minister Ukraine Aid Statement; El Pais Spain RG-31 Ambulance; InfoDefensa RG-31 Ambulance Ukraine.

Role

Protected medical evacuation and movement of wounded personnel from threatened areas.

The compact conflict row uses force-protection, mobility-logistics, and training-foreign-aid role IDs.

Configuration

The ambulance variant is described with casualty-loading equipment, oxygen fittings, medical storage, warning lights, and no external heavy weapon mount.

Source: InfoDefensa RG-31 Ambulance Ukraine.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
South Africa
Built by
Reumech OMC
Type
4x4 mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle
Service note
Late 1990s design; documented in Ukraine as a Spanish-donated armored ambulance in 2022
Designer
Land Systems OMC / BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa lineage
Designed
Late 1990s
Produced
Late 1990s onward
Number built
BAE Systems reported more than 2,166 RG31 vehicles delivered by December 2011

Specifications

Configuration
4x4 mine-resistant ambush-protected armored vehicle family
Crew and seats
RG-31 Mk5 product sheet: driver, commander, four crew, with provisions for up to six center-facing personnel
Gross vehicle weight
Up to 20 t for RG-31 Mk5; 14 t unburdened mass
Payload
Up to 6 t for RG-31 Mk5
Dimensions
RG-31 Mk5: 7,031 mm length, 2,720 mm width, 3,504 mm height
Ground clearance
492 mm for RG-31 Mk5
Engine
Cummins QSB diesel, 300 hp at 2,500 rpm for RG-31 Mk5 product-sheet configuration
Transmission
Allison 3000 SP for RG-31 Mk5 product-sheet configuration
Top speed
115 km/h for RG-31 Mk5 product-sheet configuration; Army Recognition lists 100 km/h for RG-31 baseline data
Range
532 km for RG-31 Mk5 product-sheet configuration; Army Recognition lists 900 km for RG-31 baseline data
Protection
All-steel welded armor and V-shaped hull protection against small arms, IEDs, and anti-tank mine detonations
Roles
APC, command vehicle, ambulance, armored utility vehicle, surveillance vehicle, EOD, and combat engineer applications
Variants

The RG-31 family spans baseline APC and utility vehicles, extended Mk5-series vehicles, ambulance conversions, U.S. Charger variants, and weapon-carrier derivatives.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
RG-31 Mk5Multi-role mine-protected vehicle

General Dynamics Land Systems Canada describes the Mk5 as a multi-role armored vehicle for APC, command, ambulance, utility, surveillance, EOD, and combat-engineer tasks.

Sources: RG-31 Mk5 Product Sheet

RG-31 Mk5E ambulanceArmored medical evacuation configuration

Spanish reporting identified the Ukraine-donated vehicle as an RG-31 Nyala ambulance from Spain's military inventory and described ambulance-specific casualty-loading, oxygen, storage, lighting, and siren equipment.

Sources: InfoDefensa RG-31 Ambulance Ukraine, Spanish RG-31 Ambulance Image

RG-31 ChargerU.S. Army RG-31 variant naming

Army Recognition lists RG-31 Charger as a U.S. Army version within the RG-31 family.

Sources: Army Recognition RG-31 Nyala

Agrab 120 mm mortar system, Wheeled self-propelled 120 mm mortar carrier, ArtilleryRG-31 Agrab120 mm self-propelled mortar carrier derivative

The cataloged Agrab system uses the RG-31 vehicle family as the protected platform for a 120 mm SRAMS mortar installation.

Sources: Army Recognition RG-31 Nyala

Vehicle Derivatives

The RG-31 vehicle family also appears in the catalog as the protected chassis for a dedicated mortar-carrier system.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
Agrab 120 mm mortar system, Wheeled self-propelled 120 mm mortar carrier, ArtilleryAgrab 120 mm mortar system120 mm mortar carrier derivative

The Agrab record covers the RG-31-based SRAMS mortar carrier as a distinct artillery system; this RG-31 page covers the protected vehicle family and the Ukraine-documented ambulance transfer.

Sources: Army Recognition RG-31 Nyala

Timeline

RG-31 Nyala Key Events

  1. Early RG-31 production reported

    Army Recognition says the first RG-31 vehicles were completed in South Africa in late 1998.

    Sources: Army Recognition RG-31 Nyala

  2. Spanish RG-31 ambulance fleet context

    El Pais reported that Spain's donated ambulance came from a 2007 Spanish purchase of RG-31 Nyala vehicles from BAE's South African subsidiary, including ambulance versions used for Afghanistan-era protection needs.

    Sources: El Pais Spain RG-31 Ambulance

  3. BAE Systems reports more than 2,166 RG31 deliveries

    BAE Systems described the RG31 as a mine-protected armored personnel carrier designed, developed, and manufactured in South Africa, and said more than 2,166 had been delivered.

    Sources: BAE Systems RG31 Contracts

  4. Spain prepares RG-31 ambulance shipment to Ukraine

    El Pais reported that Spain would send an RG-31 armored ambulance to Ukraine for evacuating wounded personnel from areas threatened by Russian forces.

    Sources: El Pais Spain RG-31 Ambulance

  5. Ukraine receives the RG-31 ambulance

    InfoDefensa reported that the Ukrainian Army had received the Spanish-donated RG-31 armored ambulance after A400M transport and handover near the Ukrainian border.

    Sources: InfoDefensa RG-31 Ambulance Ukraine

Media

RG-31 Nyala Images

RG-31 Nyala, 4x4 mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle, Armored Vehicles - view 1
Source: Spanish RG-31 Nyala Afghanistan Image
RG-31 Nyala, 4x4 mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle, Armored Vehicles - view 2
Source: Spanish RG-31 Ambulance Image
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Sources

BAE Systems RG31 ContractsPublisher: BAE Systems | Note: Official BAE Systems source supporting RG31 manufacturer background, South African design/development/manufacture wording, worldwide protection role, and the more-than-2,166-delivered figure. | Accessed: 2026-07-07RG-31 Mk5 Product SheetPublisher: General Dynamics Land Systems | Note: Supports RG-31 Mk5 specifications, roles, crew/passenger layout, weight, payload, dimensions, engine, transmission, speed, range, mobility, and protection claims. | Accessed: 2026-07-07Army Recognition RG-31 NyalaPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports RG-31 baseline specifications, first-completion timing, South African origin, design/manufacturer lineage, baseline variants, and the RG-31 Agrab derivative relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-07El Pais Spain RG-31 AmbulancePublisher: El Pais | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use/transfer context: Spain prepared an RG-31 Nyala armored ambulance shipment to Ukraine for evacuating wounded personnel from threatened areas. | Accessed: 2026-07-07Spanish Defence Minister Ukraine Aid StatementPublisher: Ministerio de Defensa de Espana | Note: Official Spanish Defence Ministry statement supporting 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use/transfer context: Spain listed an RG31 armored ambulance among material sent to Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-07-07InfoDefensa RG-31 Ambulance UkrainePublisher: InfoDefensa | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use/transfer context: Ukraine received the Spanish-donated RG-31 armored ambulance; also supports ambulance configuration, protection, and Spanish service details. | Accessed: 2026-07-07SIPRI Arms Transfers DatabasePublisher: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | Note: Research lead for arms-transfer context; supports the database scope and annual-update basis, but not the compact conflict-use row by itself. | Accessed: 2026-07-07Oryx Spanish Military Aid To UkrainePublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use/transfer context by listing one RG-31 Nyala Ambulance delivered by Spain to Ukraine in April 2022. | Accessed: 2026-07-07Spanish RG-31 Nyala Afghanistan ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports primary image provenance: Spanish RG-31 Nyala vehicles in Afghanistan, released as a U.S. government public-domain image and also reviewed on Commons as CC BY 2.0. | Accessed: 2026-07-07RG-31 Nyala Commons ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports primary image provenance: AMISOM Public Information photo of an RG-31 Nyala, reviewed as CC0. | Accessed: 2026-07-07Spanish RG-31 Ambulance ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance for a Spanish Army RG-31 Mk5E ambulance under an attribution-only Commons license. | Accessed: 2026-07-07