By Patrick Mondaca, PhD, Warrior Contributor
—Roshel Smart Armored Vehicles — Upgraded Roshel Senator MRAPs Supporting Tank Attack in Ukraine—
The upgraded Senator MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle, built by Canadian armored vehicle manufacturer Roshel on a heavy commercial Ford-550 chassis, brings refinements to its mine protection capabilities after “shortcomings” were identified during operations in Ukraine. For the Ukrainian effort to push back Russian invaders in what has become the “world’s most mined country,” MRAPs like the Senator have become an increasingly necessary and versatile piece of equipment.
Originally developed and fielded for US and allied forces in Iraq and Afghanistan to mitigate the threat of improvised explosive devices (IED) in the early 2000s, MRAPs have since become an invaluable part of the Ukrainian arsenal. With approximately 67,000 square miles of terrain now littered with mines, IEDs, and unexploded ordinance (UXO), Ukrainian defenders have embraced these lifesaving behemoths with their V-shaped hulls and underbelly blast protection armor.
Interviewed by Janes earlier in the month, CEO of Roshel, Roman Shimonov, said that over 750 Senators and 300 MRAP variants have been delivered to Ukraine. While some of these are slated for use by border guards and police, others are likely bound for the frontlines where Ukrainian forces are utilizing specialized tactics blending tanks and MRAPs in mechanized assaults on Russian defenses. As was reported by Forbes on September 20, 2023, “the Ukrainians tuck them behind the tanks and send them directly into battle.” The MRAPs then bypass enemy trenches as Ukrainian tanks lay down suppressive fire, surprising Russian defenders with the speed of their assault. “The truck crews do what IFV crews do—drop off their infantry then close on the Russians and pour gunfire into the Russians’ position as the infantry flank around.”
With hundreds more Senators on the way, improved protective armor rated up to NATO’s STANAG 4569 AEP 55 Vol.2 level 2a/2b, top speed of 120 KPH, and operational range of up to 800 kilometers, the probability of its being the trench club element in a mechanized assault will only increase. Ukrainian marines have long voiced their approval of other MRAPs like the American Oshkosh and British Husky; and the US-built Navistar International MaxxPro has been described as “almost indestructible” by soldiers of the Ukraine’s 68th Jaeger Brigade. Roshel’s Senator was first seen with a Defense Intelligence reconnaissance and sabotage unit known as the “Kraken Regiment” in September 2022, a unit praised by Ukrainian President Zelensky for its “outstanding results” amidst “especially challenging tasks.”
According to the Dutch open-source intelligence (OSINT) defense analysis website, Oryx, 8 Senator MRAPs have been confirmed as destroyed, damaged, or captured through photo or video evidence. Considering the Senator’s design and intended use in a non-frontline assault capacity, its failure rate is remarkably low particularly in comparison to the Oshkosh’s (23), the British Husky’s (21), or the MaxxPro’s (66), as documented by Oryx. Notably, both the US-built Oshkosh’s and MaxxPro’s off-road mobility were assessed by the Department of Defense as “not operationally effective or suitable” for direct action over the types of terrain found in Afghanistan in reports submitted to Congress in 2010 and 2011.
Developed primarily for tactical transport operations in urban environments, the Ukrainian battlefields are not surprisingly pushing all makes and variants of MRAPs far beyond the limits of their design. As more Roshel MRAPs arrive and the mud dries up for the next spring counteroffensive, we can likely expect the Senator’s losses to increase. For the moment though, the Canadian MRAPs seem to be holding their own and saving Ukrainian lives. And as some of the photos indicate, given the special treatment by Russians reserved for some of their most disdained Western vehicles, the Senator has left its mark.
Patrick Mondaca, PhD is a Warrior Contributor — Mondaca Holds a PhD from The Royal Military College of Canada in War Studies. He also holds a Masters from New York University Center for Global Affairs
