Democratic Republic of Congo orders Paramount Group’s Mwari aircraft

BEIRUT — The Democratic Republic of Congo has ordered “several” Mwari aircraft from the South African defense firm Paramount Group, according to a Sept. 13 company news release.

The purchase follows Paramount’s delivery of equipment to Mozambique, where the Mwari is already operational. According to the firm, the aircraft is designed for a wide range of missions, such as counterinsurgency, border patrol, precision strike, reconnaissance and surveillance.

The company did not respond to Defense News about how many Mwari were on order by the DRC and the contract value. Defense News has contacted the DRC consulate in Lebanon for additional information.

The aircraft, touted as requiring a minimal logistical footprint, can operate in remote and austere environments as well as equip different payloads.

“With decades of experience in asymmetrical warfare, we’ve designed the Mwari as a tool that is not only robust but incredibly adaptable, fitting the needs of modern militaries in Africa and around the world,” Steve Griessel, the chief executive of Paramount Group, said in a statement.

Paramount also announced during DSEI it integrated “advanced weapons systems” on the Mwari, noting it will disclose specifics “at a later date.” Weapons testing and certification are expected later this year or in early 2024, the news release stated.

Agnese Stracquadanio is a Middle East correspondent for Defense News. She has a background in writing and photojournalism, holds a master's degree in international relations, and previously worked for Reuters.

贝鲁特——据南非国防公司派​​拉蒙集团9月13日发布的新闻稿称，刚果民主共和国已向该公司订购了“几架”Mwari飞机。

此次采购是在派拉蒙公司向莫桑比克交付设备之后进行的，该机型“姆瓦里”已在莫桑比克投入使用。据该公司称，该机型设计用于执行多种任务，例如反叛乱、边境巡逻、精确打击、侦察和监视。

该公司未回复《防务新闻》关于刚果民主共和国订购了多少辆Mwari装甲车以及合同金额的问题。《防务新闻》已联系刚果民主共和国驻黎巴嫩领事馆以获取更多信息。

该飞机号称所需后勤保障最小，可在偏远和条件艰苦的环境中运行，并可搭载不同的有效载荷。

“凭借数十年来在非对称战争方面的经验，我们设计的 Mwari 不仅坚固耐用，而且适应性极强，能够满足非洲和世界各地现代军队的需求，”派拉蒙集团首席执行官史蒂夫·格里塞尔在一份声明中表示。

派拉蒙公司在DSEI防务展期间还宣布，已在“姆瓦里”号导弹系统上集成了“先进武器系统”，并表示将在“稍后”公布具体细节。新闻稿称，武器测试和认证预计将于今年晚些时候或2024年初进行。

阿格尼斯·斯特拉夸达尼奥是《防务新闻》的中东记者。她拥有写作和摄影新闻背景，持有国际关系硕士学位，此前曾在路透社工作。