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Israel Aerospace Industries
RAM 2000 Sandcat
A light armored 4x4 vehicle built on a commercial Ford F-550 chassis, used for patrol, border security and light infantry mobility roles. Its low cost and commercial drivetrain have made it a popular export to police and paramilitary forces.
In service since 2006 · 15 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
130
km/h
500
km range
7.6
mm gun
7,250
kg
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Israeli export-licensed
Israeli MoD (DECA/SIBAT) licensing; active export programme.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 15 operators
In service since 2006. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 130 km/h Top 2% of IFVs
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 500 km Stronger than 26% of IFVs
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun (turret-mounted)
- Caliber
Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.
- 7.6 mm
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
- Armor
Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.
- Ballistic steel/composite armor, STANAG Level 2
- Reactive armor
Explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks that disrupt shaped-charge jets.
- No
- NBC protection
Sealed crew compartment with overpressure filtration for nuclear/biological/chemical environments.
- No
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 5.85 m
- Width
Overall width — matters for rail/road transport of vehicles.
- 2.1 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 2.4 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 7,250 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 2
- Troop capacity
Number of embarked troops/passengers (IFV, APC, transport). Higher carries more.
- 8 Stronger than 62% of IFVs
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- Ford Powerstroke turbodiesel
- Engine power
Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.
- 325 hp Stronger than 32% of IFVs
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Diesel
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 15 Top 10% of IFVs
Specifications compiled from public Israel Aerospace Industries and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat has a maximum speed of 130 km/h.
What is the range of the Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat has a maximum range of 500 km.
How much does the Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat weigh? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat has a combat weight of 7,250 kg.
How many crew does the Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat require? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat requires a crew of 2.
What is the main armament of the Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat's primary weapon is the 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun (turret-mounted).
What engine does the Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat use? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat is powered by the Ford Powerstroke turbodiesel.
What is the Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat used for? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat is a ifv / apc typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries RAM 2000 Sandcat is operated by 15 countries.
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