MOWAG Roland

Swiss armored personnel carrier

Maximum speed 100 km/h (62 mph)

The MOWAG Roland is an armoured personnel carrier of Swiss origin. The vehicle was developed in 1960 and the prototype was tested in 1963. The Roland production was from 1964 to 1980.

Design

The Roland was designed for a variety of tasks: ambulance, reconnaissance, armoured troop carriers, riot /protests control and as rocket launcher.

There is a searchlight mounted on the front, directly behind it is a rotary roof section for a machine gun (MG) or a tower for a heavy machine gun MG, which is operated by the commander. The engine is in the rear, on the left side of the vehicle. On the right side, in the rear and on the left side of the vehicle are doors fitted for the vehicle occupants to enter or exit.^[1]

Some African operators have their MOWAG Roland equipped with multiple rocket launchers for 5 unguided rockets.^[2] MOWAG Roland vehicles for police units typically do not have a gun, but are equipped with a siren, blue light, searchlight, loud speakers and a V-shaped dozer blade.

Variants

Versions: armoured ambulance, standard Army APC, riot and crowd control vehicle, SANDF variant with rockets
Armament: Customer Specific assault rifle or machine gun like cal.50 HMG or a cal.30 Browning, or M60, GMPG light machine guns

Operators

Over 500 Mowag Rolands were produced and shipped to countries like Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Greece (army and police), Mexico, Peru and in various Police Departments in Switzerland.^[1]

Operators list

Mexican Army (30) ^[3]

25 APC
Ordered in 1976, with a turret equipped with a FN MAG 7.62×51mm NATO
5 MLRS ATATL
Order in 1976

On display

The Schweizerisches Militärmuseum Full has a display of a Roland MOWAG from the Bern Cantonal Police. This model is exhibited with a plow attached and was in use until 1997.^[4]

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b Marcus Bauer, Nutzfahrzeuge der MOWAG Motorwagenfabrik AG, Fachpresse Goldach, Hudson & Company, 1996 ISBN 9783857380563
^ Foss, Christopher F. Jane's Armour and Artillery 1987–88. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1987. ISBN 0-7106-0849-7
^ "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
^ Militärmuseum Full Switzerland