A recent coup attempt in Bolivia highlighted the use of Chinese-made military equipment, specifically the PRC Tiger 4×4 armored vehicle.
The incident brought attention to the vehicle’s vulnerabilities when the steering tie rod broke after hitting a curb, leaving soldiers struggling to repair it by kicking the damaged wheel.
The Tiger 4×4, produced by Baoji Special Vehicles Manufacturing in Shaanxi Province, China, is designed to transport infantry with enhanced armor protection. It can be adapted for various roles, including command post, law enforcement, riot control, and ambulance.
The vehicle has a crew of two and can carry nine fully equipped infantrymen.
Seems that during the Bolivian (🇧🇴) coup attempt, one of the Chinese-built (🇨🇳) Tiger 4×4 armored cars suffered a tire issue on the way to the coup.pic.twitter.com/O8JfCKuNYR
— SA Defensa (@SA_Defensa) June 27, 2024
Bolivia first received these vehicles in 2016. Despite undergoing extensive off-road tests demonstrating its mobility in various terrains and weather conditions, the recent malfunction raises questions about the reliability of these armored personnel carriers in real combat scenarios.