Land Systems OMC

Land Systems OMC is a South African company that produces a range of armoured vehicles which have been successfully exported and are in service with, amongst others, the U.S., Canadian and South African militaries. It is a division of BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa.

The OMC segment of the name is the initialism under which the Olifant Manufacturing Company of South Africa was most commonly known during its existence. The original company was established specifically for the task of creating the Olifant tank for the South African Army. It has maintained this initialism through all its subsequent name and ownership changes.

Ownership

Reunert

OMC's existence as an independent company was short-lived however, and early into its life it was taken over by Reunert, which subsequently turned it into a division called Reumech OMC. It was under this name that OMC saw its most prolific level of vehicle development, as the SA Army's involvement in the Border War in Angola created a massive need for ever more advanced and capable vehicles. In 1997 Reunert acquired TFM Industries defense systems unit and along with it came the designs for the Mamba APC.

Vehicles created by the company during this period include the Rooikat AFV, Okapi, Mamba APC, Casspir APC and the 6x6 chassis used by the G6 howitzer.

Vickers

Following South Africa's re admittance to the international arena following democratic elections in 1994, a number of foreign defence industry companies expressed...
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