MOWAG Roland

The MOWAG Roland is an armoured personnel carrier of Swiss origin. The vehicle was developed in 1960 and the prototype was tested in 1963. The Roland production was from 1964 to 1980.

MOWAG Roland
MOWAG Roland Kantonspolizei Bern
Place of origin	Switzerland
Service history
Used by	Switzerland, Germany, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Greece, Iraq
Production history
Manufacturer	MOWAG
Produced	1964 - 1980
No. built	> 500
Variants	Military version, Police Version
Specifications
Mass	4,400 kg (9,700 lb)
Length	4.73 m (186 in)
Width	2.05 m (81 in)
Height	2.1 m (83 in)
Crew	1 driver + 1 commander + 4PAX
Main armament	Customer Specific machine guns
Secondary armament	modification with unguided rockets
Engine	V 8 Chrysler LA 318-3 160 hp
Transmission	NP 435 mechanical gears 4 forward gears 1 reverse
Suspension	4x4 wheeled
Maximum speed	100 km/h (62 mph)

Design

The Roland was designed for a variety of tasks: ambulance, reconnaissance, armoured troop carriers, riot /protests control and as rocket launcher.

There is a searchlight mounted on the front, directly behind it is a rotary roof section for a machine gun (MG) or a tower for a heavy machine gun MG, which is operated by the commander. The engine is in the rear, on the left side of the vehicle. On the right side, in the rear and on the left side of the vehicle are doors fitted for the vehicle occupants to enter or exit.^[1]

Some African operators have their MOWAG Roland equipped with multiple rocket launchers for 5 unguided rockets.^[2] MOWAG Roland vehicles for police units typically do not have a gun, but are equipped with a siren, blue light, searchlight, loud speakers and a V-shaped dozer blade.

Variants

• Versions: armoured ambulance, standard Army APC, riot and crowd control vehicle, SANDF variant with rockets
• Armament: Customer Specific assault rifle or machine gun like cal.50 HMG or a cal.30 Browning, or M60, GMPG light machine guns

Operators

Over 500 Mowag Rolands were produced and shipped to countries like Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Greece (army and police), Mexico, Peru and in various Police Departments in Switzerland.^[1]

Operators list

 Mexican Army (30) ^[3]

• 25 APC
  Ordered in 1976, with a turret equipped with a FN MAG 7.62×51mm NATO
• 5 MLRS ATATL
  Order in 1976

On display

The Schweizerisches Militärmuseum Full has a display of a Roland MOWAG from the Bern Cantonal Police. This model is exhibited with a plow attached and was in use until 1997.^[4]

See also

Comparable vehicles

• Berliet VXB-170 – (France)
• BRDM-1 – (Soviet Union)
• BRDM-2 – (Soviet Union)
• Cadillac Gage Commando – (United States)
• Condor (APC) – (West Germany)
• Fiat 6614 – (Italy)
• FUG / OT-65 – (Hungarian People's Republic)
• Mowag MR 8 – (Switzerland)
• MOWAG Piranha 4x4 IB – (Switzerland)
• Mowag Spy – (Switzerland)
• Panhard M3 – (France)