- Yes!
- No!
- 9.3
- 9.7
- 10.0
- 10.3
- I said no!
The Blackwolf MSHORAD at CANSEC 2025.
Hey folks,
Today I wanted to share with you the DEW Blackwolf MSHORAD of Canada. This vehicle consists of a Cambli Group Blackwolf Armoured Personnel Carrier fitted with the Saab RBS 70NG Remote Weapon System, integrated by the Canadian company DEW Engineering and Development (Careless, 2026).
This was first showcased by DEW at CANSEC 2025. It is the vehicle-integrated portion of Saab and DEW’s delivery to the Latvian Battlegroup for the ‘Soldier Portable Air Defence System’ (SPADS) project - part of the 2025 Air Defence System UOR (Department of National Defence, 2025). Per Lieutenant-Colonel Marc Kieley on the Canadian Army Podcast, as of late 2023 this system is set to be delivered “over the next few years” (Canadian Army Podcast, 2023). It is unknown how many systems are set to be procured,
This suggestion covers just the launcher vehicle. I have included the specifications for the radar additionally, but it is uncertain if the Canadian Army has procured this system as well.
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The Chassis: Cambli Blackwolf APC
Chassis Details
Much like the Roshel Senator and Terrandyne Gurkha LAPV, the Cambli Blackwolf is a Canadian refit and militarization of the Ford F-550 4x4 chassis (ArmyRecognition, 2019). With frontally placed engine, driver/front passenger seat, and crew compartment to the rear. It has protection to withstand 7.62mm AP ammunition all-round. The Blackwolf sports a Ford 6.8L turbo diesel engine, which delivers 288hp at 4,000RPM driving a 6-speed automatic transmission.
Cambli Blackwolf out in the field.
Traditionally, the Canadian Cambli Group has manufactured Cash-in-Transit (CIT) armoured trucks for the banking and financial sector, but has recently entered the defence market subcontracting for DEW and Rheinmetall Canada (Dikmeyer, 2026).
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The Weapon System: RBS 70NG MSHORAD
Weapon System Details
The Blackwolf MSHORAD is armed with Saab’s MSHORAD Mobile Firing Unit (MFU) system, firing the RBS 70NG missile. The RBS 70NG has an effective range over 9000m, covering an altitude from 0-5000m. The missile has a maximum velocity of Mach 2. The sight module features modern thermal imaging, and an auto-tracking providing lead indication for the operator.
The MSHORAD’s Mobile Firing Unit.
The missile itself features a combination warhead. It contains a high-armour penetrating shaped charge warhead, alongside 3000 tungsten balls to improve its shrapnel effect. The 2-stage rocket motor is low-smoke trace, leaving virtually no trail (Canadian Army, 2025). The warhead is triggered by a selectable laser proximity fuse. The laser guidance of the missile is “unjammable” per the manufacturer (Saab, n.d.).
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The Radar System: Giraffe 1X
Radar System Details
The MSHORAD system mounts a Giraffe 1X radar on a separate vehicle. This radar system is designed to be lightweight and portable, weighing less than 300 kilograms and capable of being mounted into a civilian truck bed.
A civilian pickup truck equipped with the Giraffe 1X radar system.
The Giraffe 1X is an X (I) band AESA radar employing 12 stacked beams from 0-70 degrees of elevation, operating at a scanning rate of 60RPM. It has a maximum instrumented range of 75km. It is able to detect fighter aircraft 10km high and 30km horizontally. Small aircraft can be detected 8km high, and 25km out. Lastly, small drones can be detected 4km high, and 13km outwards.
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Specifications
List of Specifications
General:
Country of Origin: Canada
Crew: 3 - Commander, Gunner, Driver
Dimensions:
Length: 6.24m
Width: 2.4m
Height: 3.0m (excluding MFU)
Weight: 8845kg (excluding MFU)
Performance:
Engine: Ford 6.8L Turbo Diesel developing 288hp at 4000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic (5-forward, 1 reverse)
Speed: Maximum on-road 150km/h
Protection:
7.62mm AP all-round
No smoke grenades
Armament:
RBS 70NG Surface-to-Air Missile
- Ammunition: 6+ rounds
- Belt Capacity: 3 rounds
- Reload: ~60 seconds for all three missiles in total
- Vertical Guidance: -20/+50 degrees
- Vertical Traverse: 100 degrees/second
- Horizontal Guidance: 360 degrees
- Horizontal Traverse: 100 degrees/second
- Intercept Range: >9000m
- Altitude Coverage: 0-5000m
- Missile Speed: Mach 2
- Laser beam-riding guidance
- Independent thermal
- Tandem HEAT-FRAG warhead (200mm RHA penetration at 0 degrees)
- Built-in auto-tracker once target has been acquired
Optics:
3rd Generation Thermal Imager.
Laser Rangefinder
Optical Zoom: Unknown
Radar:
Band: X (I) Band AESA Radar with 12 stacked beams
Scanning Rate: 60RPM
Instrumented Range: 75km
Elevation: 0-70 Degrees
IFF: Yes
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Usage in Game
DEW Directors posing at their CANSEC 2025 booth.
Full disclaimer: I am no expert on high-tier air defence, let alone its balancing. However, the central question is whether or not the vehicle should be part of a multi-vehicle system including the Giraffe 1X Radar System. No such systems have been photographed as of yet, but Saab’s MSHORAD system would be incomplete without it - usually operating in a 9 vehicle battery (MDAA, 2026). It is also an exceptionally easy system to integrate, capable of being placed into a truck bed before connecting to the MSHORAD’s C2 system.
The vehicle’s closest comparable would be the RB BR 10.3 ASRAD-R. The Blackwolf gains in having RBS 70NG missiles over the ASRAD-Rs BOLIDEs, but loses out in having to set-up a radar. The side benefit of having such a mobile chassis is that its missiles can function defensively as well as offensively. With such a light and mobile platform, an operator can get out of dodge if their position is getting overrun.
Please let me know what you think. It is incredibly exciting for me to see the Canadian Army acquire and test out new equipment.
Thanks,
Hydroxideblue
References
Reference List
#cansec2025 | DEW Engineering and Development ULC
https://www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org/defense-systems/robot-system-70/
https://www.saab.com/globalassets/event/laad/rbs-70-ng.pdf
Redirecting...
https://www.radartutorial.eu/19.kartei/04.battle/pubs/giraffe_1x.pdf
Blackwolf
Air Defence System UOR - Defence Capabilities Blueprint
Vol 32-Iss 2
Canadian Army Podcast | Transcript: The Multinational Brigade - Latvia (S5 E2)
Quebec - Canadian Defence Companies - Regional Report