Designation: | TH 444 |
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Manufacturer: | Henschel Wehrtechnik GmbH | |
Product type: | Armoured Vehicles | |
Name: | Armoured car |
The TH 444 APC has been developed as a private venture by the now Rheinmetall Landsysteme, with the first prototype being completed in 1987.
It is based on the long-wheelbase version (2.85 m) of the Mercedes-Benz 250 GD (4 × 4) cross-country chassis which is already in service with more than 25 armed forces, so making training and logistics easier. To improve its power-to-weight ratio to 30.3 hp/t it has been fitted with a more powerful 112 hp diesel engine.
As of mid-2004, the TH 444 APC had not entered volume production in Germany. A further development of this vehicle has entered production in Egypt and is made by the Kader Factory for Developed Industries under the designation of the G320. Details of this are given in under Egypt. The chassis for the Egyptian vehicles are supplied as required from Germany. Description
The layout of the TH 444 APC is conventional, with the engine at the front, commander and driver in the centre and the remainder of the crew at the rear.
The welded steel armour provides protection against 7.62 mm attack and its frame body design is such that the armour package (sides, rear and roof) can be manufactured to meet specific user requirements.
The prototype has a single-piece bulletproof windscreen and two forward-opening doors in each side. Each of the latter has a bulletproof window in its upper part. The rear area also has a bulletproof window in its upper part on either side, and at the back a rear door with a bulletproof window in its upper part is provided with the spare wheel being mounted below. Various roof hatch arrangements can be provided, including a machine gun mount above the commander's position and forward-opening roof hatch.
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