Malaysian Army Weststar-IAG Guardian armoured security vehicles due to arrive in Lebanon next week

The Malaysian Army's new warhorses, the Weststar-International Armored Group Guardian armoured security vehicles, are due to arrive in Lebanon in about 10 days' time.

Nine Weststar-IAG Guardians will join the Malaysian Battalion (MalBatt) peace-keeping force deployed in Lebanon. The new 4x4 vehicles will augment Condor armoured personnel carriers that serve as troop transports for MalBatt.

According to Weststar-IAG, the Guardian's due to serve MalBatt have been tailored for the Malaysian Army's specific operational requirements. Changes to the left-hand drive Guardians include the additional of wire mesh to screen all windows and the choice of a cupola-mounted MG with all-round traverse, instead of the remotely-operated weapon system seen on the Guardian now on show at Kuala Lumpur's Defence Services Asia 2018 weapons show.

The Guardians add to an increasingly varied stable of Malaysian Army war machines, which already has the DefTech Lipanbara high mobility armoured vehicle fielded for MRAP-type roles.

Here are some views of the Guardian at DSA 2018. The vehicle is configured to carry eight troops in the rear compartment, with a front cabin for a driver and the vehicle commander.