The SandCat is a composite armored vehicle designed by the Israeli company Plasan. The SandCat was shown publicly for the first time at AUSA arms fair in 2005. The latest models were shown for the first time at Eurosatory arms fair in 2018. The SandCat is based on a commercial Ford F-Series chassis. Approximately 700 SandCats have been produced since 2004, and while Plasan has never released complete details, these are known to be in service with at least 16 users across five continents, and in a wide variety of roles that range from Police/internal security to combat/patrol.
The SandCat can carry up to 11 people and serve for patrol and routine security missions. It weighs 8.5 tons with armor and people on board. Missiles and launchers can be added on; South Korea bought SandCats that it armed with weaponry from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
Plasan had developed the SandCat in 2005, neglected it to make armor for the U.S. army, then went back to it. Now it sells 12 upgraded versions.[1]Israeli Company, Hurt by U.S. Troop Withdrawal From Iraq, Pivots and Returns to Profit
SandCat is used by security forces in Azerbaijan,[2]Israel Defense, Azerbaijan Unveils Israeli-Made SandCat Armored Vehicle with Spike Missiles at ADEX 2024, 06.10.2024 Bulgaria,[3]Joint Forces, SandCat In Bulgarian Military Police Service, 07.07.2022 Canada,[4]JSOnline, Oshkosh creates new patrol vehicle, 16.06.2010[5]Army Guide, Sand Cat Chile,[6]Info Defensa, Carabineros de Chile estrena sus nuevos blindados Plasan TPV Sandcat , 09.03.2020 Colombia,[7]Plasan, An armored Plasan SandCat from the Colombian Army was destroyed in a terrorist attack with explosives, 12.10.2022 El Salvador,[8]FAES tactical team reinforced by guerrilla training for gangs Greece,[9]Israel Defense, Rafael’s major Spike missile deal with Greece: additional details revealed, 20.12.2022 Kazakhstan,[10]Military Informant, Kazakhstan acquires American armored vehicles “SandCat”, 20.04.2015 Mexico,[11]Plasan wins Mexican defense bid Nigeria,[12]Military Africa, Nigeria acquires additional Plasan SandCat vehicle from Israel, 22.12.2022 Peru,[13]Defensa.com, Los primeros blindados Sandcat EX12 serán entregados en agosto a la Policía Nacional del Perú, 20.05.2026 Poland,[14]Polish Military Police using Plasan’s SandCat light armored vehicle Romania,[15]Alamy, Romanian Gendarmery Plasan Sand Cat armored vehicle – December 1st, Parade on Romania’s National Day, 01.12.2013 Spain,[16]Israel Defense, Plasan to Armor Spanish Army’s Future Combat Vehicles, 03.02.2022 South Korea,[17]Army Recognition, South Korean Marine Corps has test fire Spike NLOS anti-tank guided missile from SandCat vehicle 10808161, 08.08.2016 Sweden,[18]Wikimedia Commons, Category:Plasan Sandcat in Sweden Uganda[19]Military Africa, Uganda operating ELBIT SOLTAM SPEAR 120 mm Mortar System, 20.01.2022 and Ukraine.[20]Defence Blog, Security Service of Ukraine received first SandCat Armored Vehicles, 24.03.2017
In 2011, the Israeli armor manufacturing company Plasan, sold 250 SandCat armored vehicles to the Mexican Ministry of Defense.[21]Plasan wins Mexican defense bid In 2015, the IBN Industrias Militares and Plasan, an Israeli company, agreed to manufacture the Sand Cat in México.[22]the Israeli Plasan and the Mexican IBN Industries united efforts to establish a production line [23]The Mexican Military Industrial Complex
In 2020 Poland announced that Plasan’s Sandcat vehicle was selected in July 2015 in a tender conducted by the Security Department of the Military Police for the supply of light armored vehicles. In total, 14 were purchased: seven for combat, three for police coordination, one for medical evacuation.[24]Polish Military Police using Plasan’s SandCat light armored vehicle
The Armed Forces of El Salvador (FAES) purchased 50 Sandcats that will be produced in Mexico under license from Plasan.[25]FAES tactical team reinforced by guerrilla training for gangs
Use by Israeli forces:
In Israel the vehicle is called Caracal. In 2010 Plasan supplied the Israeli Police and border police with 80 Karakal (Sandcat) vehicles.[26]Israel Police and Border Police gets new Armoured Vehicle The deal was estimated with a worth of $54 million.[27]Israel Police Invests 54 million shekel in Karakal Vehicles The SandCat vehicles are operational since then.
Plasan in cooperation with ELTA developed and supplied an upgraded version of the SandCat, named “Granit” for the Israeli military, which was used for intelligence and surveillance missions.[28]Israel Police and Border Police gets new Armoured Vehicle In the same year the Israeli military conducted an operational trial of the Granit vehicles in Gaza, before taking the decision for an official purchase of the vehicles.[29]Granit goes to Gaza Military resources reported that the “Granit” was also tried out by the Israeli army on the Lebanon border and in the West Bank.[30]New Jeep and drone that will monitor Sinai In 2012 Granit vehicles were operated by the Israeli military on the border with Egypt.[31]New Jeep and drone that will monitor Sinai
In 2022 the Israeli Army purchased in an expedited procedure 50 SandCat EX11 armored vehicles.[32]Plasan Delivers Sandcat EX11 Armored Vehicles to the IDF In December 2022 the first batch of the vehicles was delivered to the Israeli army. The vehicles were purchased for usage in the occupied Palestinian Territories in the West Bank.[33]Plasan Delivery of Sandcats to IDF [34]Plasan Delivers Sandcat EX11 Armored Vehicles to IDF