A locally-manufactured bomb disposal robot and a modified fire and rescue truck are being showcased by the National Guard at the Bahrain International Airshow that ends today at the Sakhir Airbase.
This reflects Bahrain’s vision to localise the defence and security sector, as well as recognise local talent, according to an official.
The robot called Guard 1 weighs about 186kg with a maximum speed of 10km and a 180 degrees rotation arm that allows it to pick suspicious objects or explosives.
“This is the first prototype to be displayed at the air show that has been built from scratch, in two months, by Bahraini engineers using local materials,” said First Warrant Officer Abdulla Abdulsalam.
“It features eight cameras – four wired and four wireless – that are used to detect objects, pick them up using a robot arm and dispose of them at a safe place.”
Mr Abdulsalam said bomb disposal robots are used by different countries and deployed in difficult scenarios where experts can closely examine the object rather than sending someone in a bomb-suit.
“We launched the robot this year to protect our soldiers while dealing with unknown objects or explosives,” he added. “We have tested Guard 1 and hope to roll out more of these models in the future.”
Another local invention by the National Guard being showcased is a modified fire and rescue truck called Fire 1.
First Warrant Officer Shawqi Yousif proudly explained the modifications done to the vehicle and how it helped save thousands of dinars compared to the price of importing a similar truck.
“We have three of these locally-customised fire and rescue trucks that we have been using for more than two years,” said Mr Yousif.
“This Toyota Land Cruiser Pick-up has been modified, converting the rear compartment to hold fire extinguishing systems that are also manufactured by the National Guard to deal with fires and accidents.”
He added that the truck can carry 500 litres of water and has special filters to even use sea water in case of an emergency, plus dedicated sections for equipment, including a hydraulic cutter.
“Because we have modified this truck locally with our team of engineers, we have saved thousands of dinars that would have been spent on importing a similar truck with all the customisation and specifications,” he said.
The country already makes its own armoured personnel carriers and armoured security cabins, which have been created by BDF engineers that were showcased at the Bahrain International Defence Exhibition and Conference (BIDEC) 2019.
This included the BDF’s armoured personnel carrier (APC) Faisal, which can carry up to eight personnel and traverse various terrains.
The 9,000kg APC can carry up to eight crew members, including a gunner, and the vehicle can protect against a blast of up to 6kg of TNT.
sandy@gdnmedia.bh
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