Since the early 1980s Henschel Wehrtechnik has been developing, as a private venture, a family of wheeled armoured vehicles that can undertake a wide range of roles on the battlefield.

These are the TH 200 (4 x 4), TH 400 (6 x 6) and the TH 800 (8 x 8).

All these have a hull of all-welded steel armour construction that provides guaranteed protection from small arms and medium machine gun fire. For improved protection passive and active add-on armour is available.

All vehicles incorporate a new type of suspension consisting of a double trailing arm independent wheel suspension, the kinetic properties of which give considerably improved mobility in rough terrain. The negative lead angle of the springing reduces the vertical and horizontal acceleration when driving rapidly across obstacles so that the physical load on the crew is lower compared to vehicles equipped with rigid axles. All vehicles also feature power steering.

Early in 1998, Henschel Wehrtechnik stated that all development work on the TH 200 (4 x 4) and TH 800 (8 x 8) had stopped but that the TH 400 (6 x 6) was still being marketed.

Details of the complete TH family of wheeled armoured vehicles were given in Jane's Armour and Artillery 1997-98, pages 202 to 203. Of the three members of the TH family, only the TH 400 (6 x 6) has been built.

There is no German Army requirement for the TH 400 (6 x 6) armoured vehicle.

The hull of the TH 400 is of all-welded steel armour construction with the driver's compartment at the front, fighting compartment in the centre and the power pack at the rear.

The driver is seated in the centre and has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the right. In front of this are three periscopes, the centre one of which can be replaced by a passive periscope for driving at night.

The power-operated turret is in the centre with the commander and gunner on the right and the loader on the left. The commander has a raised cupola with a single-piece hatch cover and observation periscopes. In front of the cupola is the commander's stabilised panoramic sight.

The gunner is seated in front of and below the commander and has a roof-mounted sight and a sighting system coaxial with the 105 mm main armament. The loader has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear and a roof-mounted periscope.

Main armament comprises a 105 mm rifled gun which is fitted with a fume extractor and thermal sleeve with a 7.62 mm machine gun being mounted coaxially to the left. Mounted either side of the turret is a bank of four 76 mm electrically operated smoke grenade launchers that fire forwards.

The rear-mounted power pack can be quickly removed as a complete unit for field replacement.

Suspension is of the independent type using trailing arms and the drive train is within the hull for maximum possible protection.

Standard equipment includes power steering and a central tyre pressure regulation system that allows the driver to adjust the tyre pressure to suit the type of terrain being crossed, even when the vehicle is moving.

Although the prototype has a three-man turret armed with a 105 mm gun, the chassis has been designed to accept a wide range of other weapon systems, such as anti-aircraft guns or missiles.

Heavier turrets could also be fitted to the TH 400 chassis according to Henschel Wehrtechnik, including a three-man turret armed with a Rheinmetall 120 mm smoothbore gun.

Development of the TH 400 (6 x 6) vehicle is complete and production can start on receipt of orders.