Windhoeker Maschinenfabrik
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Windhoeker Maschinenfabrik (WMF) is a Namibian defense contractor located in Windhoek, Namibia and operated by the Namibian Defence Force. WMF designs and manufactures monocoque V-hull armoured combat vehicles. WMF is responsible for the armoured bodywork fabrication while engines, transmissions and axles are built by MAN.
History
[edit]Windhoeker Maschinenfabrik was founded in 1939. It later provided equipment for the South African Defence Force and South West African Territorial Force. In 1977 WMF began manufacturing Mine Protected Vehicles.[1] After the Independence of Namibia from South Africa in 1989, WMF was nationalized in 1998.[2] The company functions as a subsidiary of Namibian Defence Force. Currently retired Major General Ben Kadhila is the Managing Director.[3]
WMF Products
[edit]WMF performs the following services:
- armouring of plant and construction machinery
- Refurbishing of other armoured vehicles such as the Casspir.
WMF produces the following 4x4 Mine protected vehicles (MPVs)
- Wolf I,
- Wolf II,
- Wolf Turbo II - at 14 tons,
- WerWolf Mk I - at 10 tons.
- Wer’wolf MKII at 17 tons.
- MK III
WMF also produces the following 6x6 Mine protected vehicles (MPVs)
- Wolf 6x6 recovery vehicle
- WerWolf Mk II 6X6 recovery vehicle
Humanitarian Engineering and Consulting (HEC), the R&D branch for MgM, has designed a special series of WerWolf called the HEC-Wolf, which specifically supports the requirements of Humanitarian Demining operations. The HEC-Wolf is somewhat de-militarized in that it cannot carry the wide range of weapons which normally are associated with this vehicle.[4]
Users
[edit]WMFs customers are:
- Namibian Defence Force
- Angolan Armed Forces
- Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force
- NamPower
- United Nations agencies,
- Humanitarian agencies such as:
- Red Cross
- Doctors Without Borders
- Stiftung Menschen gegen Minen e. V. better known as MgM
- selected filmmakers and TV crews
Location
[edit]- Physical address
13 Bessemer Street,
Southern Industrial Area
Windhoek, Namibia
- Postal Address:
P.O. Box 5013
Windhoek, Namibia
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Administrator. "Company Background". www.wmf.com.na. Retrieved 2017-09-08.
- ^ Administrator. "Company Background". www.wmf.com.na. Retrieved 2017-09-08.
- ^ "TURNAROUND STRATEGY 2020 - 2025" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-10-08.
- ^ "HEC - Research • Engineering • Integration". www.hectec.cc. Retrieved 2017-09-08.