Inkas tests its M1 MRAP in Spain, looking at expanding its European footprint
Inkas, the Canadian armoured vehicles manufacturer, ran a series of tests with its M1 MRAP, based on KNDS Mobility solutions, in the Spanish Applus+ IDIADA test centre. This underlines the Inkas intent to expand its footprint in Europe, which it considers a key market. Unveiled at Milipol Paris 2025 and seen at the IAV Conference in January 2026, the M1 will be at Eurosatory where it will take part in the dynamic demonstration of what is considered the benchmark for land defence exhibitions
Based in Toronto, Inkas started armouring civilian cars and producing vehicles for cash in transit. Under the push of its customers, the company made a step forward, and started producing military-oriented platforms, based on available commercial chassis as the Ford 550, which were sold on the international market, Haiti and Nigeria being among the customers. The next step was to shift from a commercial chassis to military grade, NATO compliant automotive components, Inkas aiming at becoming a recognised NATO and European Union provider.
The Canadian company considered potential partners, and in the end selected Texelis, its defence division being now part of KNDS France under the brand KNDS Mobility, which 4×4 Celeris military platform fitted Inkas needs. Not only, the French company, which is based in Limoges, was able to provide components, but could also provide consultancy in the development of military grade platforms and in penetrating the European market, which Inkas confirmed being currently its priority target. Thanks to all that, the development of the Inkas M1 took around one year, the vehicle being built on a proved automotive platform, the Celeris mobility solution which builds on the development work conducted for the Serval, the lighter, 18t GVW element of the French Army Scorpion programme, and which has already been adopted by several other foreign OEMs.
The Inkas M1 marks the first cooperation of this magnitude between Canada and France in the defence sector; the decision of the Toronto-based company to look east and west for cooperation was of course dictated by the political climate in North America, and the Canadian French connection might well lead to further cooperation among defence industries of the two nations, Inkas having already been close to French companies in other markets.
As anticipated, the first M1 prototype was exhibited in Paris during Milipol Paris in a 2+6 layout for police or specialised units, as well as at the International Armoured Vehicles Conference in Farnborough. Having successfully completed its industrial tests, it will perform at the mobility demonstration at Eurosatory next June in a configuration matching high-intensity scenarios.
The M1 is a 13.5 tonnes MRAP-type vehicle capable to carry a crew of two, driver and machine gunner operator, plus eight dismounts in the armoured personnel carrier configuration. 5.987 metres long, 2.528 metres wide and 2.834 metres high, it is powered by a Cummins ISL8.9 ISLE375 diesel engine providing 375 hp, which gives a nearly 28 hp/t power to mass ratio, and a maximum torque of 1,550 Nm. Should a customer require it, the engine can be rated at a higher power output. The Cummins diesel engine is coupled to an Allison 3200SP automatic transmission with six forward and one reverse gears, the powerpack allowing a range of 600 km at cruise speed, the vehicle to reach maximum speed being 110 km/h, the Inkas M1 being fitted with front and rear disk pneumatic brakes. The Inkas M1 is fitted with KNDS Mobility T750 axles with independent military grade suspensions with hydro-shocks absorbers and is equipped with 14.00R20 tires with runflat inserts and Syegon CTIS. The vehicle can ford water obstacles 1.2 metres deep, climb a 60% gradient, travel on a 30% side slope and overcoming a 500 mm vertical obstacle. Ballistic protection is Level 4 all-round according to STANAG 4569, while V-shape, energy-absorbing seats and a 475 mm ground clearance all contribute to the Level 4a/b mine protection level.
The Inkas M1 features a two-man cabin at the front, whit a full width single piece windscreen and a window in each side door; dismounts ingress and egress from the rear door, hinged to the right, two small, armoured windows per side plus one in the rear door providing a level of situational awareness. The roof can sustain a remotely operated weapon station (RCWS) up to 30 mm calibre or 40mm GMG. The Inkas M1 can carry a payload of 4,500 kg, depending on variant, which includes soldiers, individual equipment, RCWS, electronic equipment and other loads. The engine is fitted with a 28 V 600 A alternator ensuring sufficient power to subsystems and reloading the 120 Ah batteries, the vehicle carrying a minimum of four and a maximum of eight, which ensure sufficient operating time with the engine off. A soundproof auxiliary power unit is available to ensure long endurance operations in stealth mode.
Vehicles in the class of the Inkas M1 have an edge over bigger platforms in terms of deployability, especially by air; a C-130 Hercules can carry one vehicle, while an A400 M can take two in combat configuration.
Next step for Inkas will be CANSEC, the Canadian Security exhibition, which will take place at the EY Centre, in Ottawa, May 27-28. Here the company will showcase another M1, in a 2+8 APC configuration, which will incorporate a series of improvements based on lessons learned from tests and potential customers suggestions, and that will be more oriented towards the military market.
In April 2026 the first Inkas M1 prototype underwent a series of trials at the Applus+ IDIADA in L’Albornar, west of Barcelona, a 370-hectare multi-user facility featuring multiple test tracks and equipment. According to the company, tests confirmed nominal data for speed, acceleration, and handling, while braking performances proved to be 7-10% better than expected. During tests the vehicle was overloaded, here too showing very good performances, most of all the excellent mass distribution on all axles.
Developed in less than one year thanks to the close cooperation between the Canadian and the French partners, the Inkas M1 was designed since inception as a modular vehicle, and the two configurations that will be exhibited at CANSEC and Eurosatory are just the first among multiple ones. One of today key issue is production time and capacity; on the automotive side KNDS Mobility is capable to produce 300 Celeris mobility system per year, the company stating that this number can be doubled if necessary. As for Inkas, the company is developing its Canadian supply chain, however looking at export production delocalisation is of course being considered, depending on the number of vehicles on order. Not only, the company is widening the scope of its production, EDR On-Line understanding that it is aiming to become a defence player active not only in platforms but also in other domains, such as C-UAS, artificial intelligence, Advance Passenger Information (API) for border security and others.
Marketing wise Inkas will exploit its own wide customer base generated with commercial armoured vehicles as well as that of KNDS Mobility; not only, the Toronto-based company uses to have some vehicles in stock, something usual in the commercial world, and might do the same with its military vehicles business, allowing near real-time deliveries of small quantities should the need arise. Currently the automotive element is produced in France, then it is shipped to Canada where vehicles are completed. This should remain the standard production scheme, unless high numbers of vehicles would be acquired by customers, which may see the process evolving. Will Inkas remain in the light armoured vehicles segment, or will it aim at bigger platforms? This remains for the time being an unanswered question, KNDS Mobility being capable to follow the Canadian partner on this path, a 6×6 solution being already available, one with an extra axle being in the pipeline.
Photos courtesy Inkas
