Designation: | DINGO |
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Manufacturer: | Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co.KG - KMW | |
Product type: | Armoured Vehicles | |
Name: | Wheeled armoured personnel carrier |
The ATF Dingo is a German armored military truck based on a Unimog chassis, produced by the company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. It is designed to withstand land mines, rifle fire, artillery fragments and NBC-threats. ATF stands for Allschutz-Transport-Fahrzeug, meaning all-protected transport vehicle in German. It's named after the wild dog Dingo.
The ATF Dingo 2 is an advanced version of the Dingo based on the Unimog U 5000 chassis, that offers improved protection and more payload. It is offered in two versions with 3,250 (3.5 tonnes payload) and 3,850 mm (4 tonnes payload) wheelbase. The Dingo 2 can seat 8 personnel.
Currently KMW is developing the Dingo 2 GFF with increased internal volume.
The Dingo's standard armament is a remote controlled 7.62 mm machine gun turret. The 7.62 mm MG can be replaced with a 12.7 mm MG or a HK GMG automatic grenade launcher.
The US Army is considering the purchase of 1000 vehicles (March 2007).
The All-Protected Vehicle was developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann under contract to the Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung (BWB), but with additional funding from Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. The first demonstrator for mine testing was completed in 1995.
As a result of trials with this demonstrator, a preproduction vehicle called the APV 1, incorporating a number of improvements, was completed in mid-1996 and subsequently evaluated by the German Army and the BWB.
To meet user requirements for a vehicle with increased payload and volume, a third vehicle was completed in 1997 under the designation APV 2. This is based on a larger and more powerful UNIMOG cross-country (4 × 4) chassis.
The All-Protected Vehicle was originally designed and built using proven and in-production automotive components to reduce both procurement and total life cycle costs.
It has been designed to have a high level of road and cross-country mobility as well as providing the crew with modular protection against a variety of threats, especially those found in peacekeeping operations. A high level of protection was also required against mines, especially some of the more advanced anti-tank mines.
As the All-Protected Vehicle is based on a proven Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG (4 × 4) chassis, spares and technical support are available in most parts of the world.
According to Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, typical roles for this vehicle include:
- Armoured personnel carrier
- Light reconnaissance vehicle
- Command and control vehicle
- Material transport vehicle
- Weapon carrier for various calibres
- Ambulance vehicle
- Light air defence system
- Missile launching vehicle
- Forward observer vehicle
Late in 1999, the German BWB awarded Krauss-Maffei Wegmann a contract worth DM42 million for the supply of 56 vehicles.
In August 2000, just nine months after being awarded the contract, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann handed over to the German Army two All Protected Vehicles (APV-2) and all 56 were delivered by the end of 2000.
The official German Army designation for the APV is the Allschutz Transport Fahrzeug (ATF), or Dingo.
APV-2, selected by the German Army, is based on the Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG U-1550L (4 × 4) chassis, which was supplied direct to Krauss-Maffei Wegmann who then manufactured and installed the armoured body.
This version of the vehicle has a maximum combat weight of 9,200 kg with maximum payload being 1,400 kg. It has individual seats for the commander and driver at the front with another three individual seats to the rear. The seats have been designed to absorb shock if the vehicle should run over a mine and special protection is provided under the vehicle hull against anti-tank mines.
Fitted on the roof is a Krauss-Maffei Wegmann mount Type 1530 armed with an externally mounted 7.62 mm MG3 machine gun that can be aimed and fired under complete armour protection. If required a heavier weapon can be installed such as a .50 (12.7 mm) machine gun or a 40 mm grenade launcher.
Standard equipment on German Army vehicles includes an air conditioning system, parking heater, anti-skid breaking system, GPS navigation system, run-flat tyres, communications systems and a reversing camera system.
In September 2001, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann submitted its bid to the German Bundesamt fur Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung (BWB) covering the supply of an additional batch of 57 All Protected Vehicles (APVs) for the German Army. This order was subsequently placed and all were delivered by the end of 2002.
In March 2002, an order was placed for a further batch of 34 APVs which were delivered by June 2003. This brought the total German Army order to 147 units.
Production of the first generation Dingo APV is now complete and production is now being concentrated on the enhanced Dingo 2 APV, which is covered in detail in a separate entry. This is based on the current production UNIMOG U-5000 (4 × 4) truck chassis. Dingo 2 is currently in quantity production and in service with Austria, Belgium and Germany.
The Krauss-Maffei Wegmann All-Protected Vehicle is based on the chassis of the Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG U100 L or U1550L (4 × 4) cross-country truck.
The engine compartment is at the front, the heavily armoured safety crew compartment is in the centre and the cargo/load area is at the rear. The engine compartment can be easily accessed for routine checks by simply folding the hinged bonnet forwards.
If the vehicle runs over an anti-personnel/anti-tank mine, the blast will be deflected away from the armoured crew compartment by means of a specially designed mine deflector. The complete passive armour package for the Dingo has been developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann.
The crew compartment armour provides protection against any hand-held rifles, anti-tank and anti-personnel mines, artillery fragments from 155 mm projectiles and NBC agents.
The crew compartment is of thin plate steel armour to which composite armour can be added if increased protection is required.
The driver is seated front left with the vehicle commander to his right and a further two to four personnel in the rear. To the front of the commander and driver is a large bulletproof window which provides the same level of protection as the remainder of the crew module.
In each side of the vehicle is a large forward-opening door with a bulletproof window in its upper part. The occupants are provided with individual seats which have been designed to absorb shock if the vehicle should run over a mine.
The cargo area is at the rear and maximum payload is between 1,000 and 1,400 kg depending on the vehicle type.
The vehicle is air-transportable in a Lockheed Martin C-130 or C-160 transport aircraft and the APV 1 can be lifted by a CH-53 helicopter.
Standard equipment includes a central tyre pressure regulation system that allows the driver to adjust the tyre pressure to suit the terrain being crossed.
The first generation Dingo has been replaced in production by the Dingo 2, which is based on the enhanced UNIMOG U-5000 (4 × 4) truck chassis. Details of the Dingo 2 are given in a separate entry.
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