Henschel TH-444

     Notes:  This German vehicle is basically an armored sports utility vehicle, being an armored version of the long-wheelbase version of the Mercedes-Benz 250 GD.  This vehicle is related to the Egyptian G-320 (see Egyptian Wheeled Armored Personnel Carriers), and was used for much the same purpose, that of VIP transport, usually for CEOs and other high officers of European corporations.  There is a door on each side of the cab, a door on the rear of the vehicle, and a hatch above the cab passenger seat, which may be equipped with a machinegun mount.  The engine is a 112-horsepower diesel, coupled to a manual transmission.  Armor is minimal, and no special attention is paid to top or floor armor.  The driver and commander have a bullet-resistant windshield to the front and bullet-resistant windows to each side in their doors.  The sides have two bullet-resistant windows each, and there is one in the rear door.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: During the war, many of these vehicles were appropriated by local police and militia forces for use as personnel carriers and scout cars.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$9,299

D, A

800 kg

3.7 tons

2+4

2

Headlights

Enclosed

 

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

262/64

60/15

110

51

Stnd

W(2)

HF2  HS2  HR2

 

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

None

None

MG-3 (C) or MAG (C)

500x7.62mm

 

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Dingo APV

     Notes: The Dingo APV (All Protected Vehicle) is an MRAP-type APC designed by the Germans to partially replace the M-113 in the German Army, and provide a safe and secure multipurpose vehicle for both military and peacekeeping operations.  The Dingo grew out of Krauss-Maffei’s APCV (All-Purpose Carrier Vehicle) project, which was based on an upgraded version of the Unimog U-100L light truck; the Dingo is much larger and based on the Unimog U-1550L medium truck.  Besides Germany, the Dingo is used by Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, and Luxembourg; Israel was very interested early on in the Dingo, but the German government prohibited Krauss-Maffei Wegmann from selling the Dingo to Israel, citing its probable use against the Palestinians. The US for a time considered the Dingo 2 for use as a light MRAP, but ultimately chose the M-1117 instead. Some are also used by police forces worldwide.  The Czech acquisition is currently stalled due to allegations of corruption among Czech government officials. Dingos are small and light enough to be easily air-transported (including sling-loaded from heavy-lift helicopters), and air-dropped.  The Dingo 1 entered service in the late 1990s; the Dingo 2 entered service in the mid-2000s.

 

The Dingo 1

     As stated, the Dingo is an MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle, using a V-shaped bottom and special floor armor to protect the crew against mine and IED blasts, as well as special seats and mounts for interior gear.  The initial version, now called the Dingo 1, is used only by Germany and is rapidly being replaced by the later Dingo 2 version.  The Dingo 1 is based on the U-1550L chassis, and uses an OM-366A 155-horsepower diesel engine coupled to an automatic transmission.  The suspension if beefed-up for better off-road performance and has run-flat tires. The Dingo 1 is a basic sort of APC, though it can be topped with a cupola with a light or heavy machinegun or grenade launcher or an RWS with the same weapons or an autocannon.  The Dingo seats its troops down each side of the vehicle, with doors in the sides of the cab for the driver and commander and a door in the rear for the troops. There is also a door in each side of the vehicle. Other than the commander’s roof hatch, there is another hatch on the rear deck. The front has a bullet-resistant windshield; it is one piece for the driver and commander.  The driver and commander have bullet-resistant windows to their sides in their doors, and there is window in each of the side doors and in the rear door.  The armor is largely of aluminum; the vehicle is built largely like a truck, with a truck-like front and sides which are flat on the bottom half and slanted on the upper sides. The MRAP hull, other than its armor value, allows the crew and interior components to take 25% less damage than a standard vehicle. The Dingo 1, however, is a small vehicle, not equal to a standard APC in size, and carries only a small infantry squad; it is perhaps better used as a patrol and reconnaissance vehicle than an APC.  The Dingo 1, in Afghanistan, has survived running over a 7-kilogram land mine with no ill effects to the crew and passengers and only minor damage to the vehicle.

 

The Dingo 2

     The Dingo 2 is based on the more robust Unimog U-5000 chassis, allowing for more armor and a beefed-up suspension to be fitted.  The new chassis also slows the Dingo 2 to have two main variants: a short wheelbase version (similar in size to the Dingo 1) and a long wheelbase that carries more troops and cargo.  The different-length, more robust chassis also slows the creation of several specialist vehicles which are both APC-type and non-APC-type.  It also allows for the fitting of enhancements such as (in German service, for example, and provided for in the stats below) a GPS system, a collective NBC system, a rear-view camera system, antilock brakes, and better internal communications, as well as more radios in some roles.  The standard Dingo 2 replaces the commander’s weapon station with an RWS mounted on the center of the roof, armed with a light, medium, or heavy machinegun, automatic grenade launcher, or light autocannon.  The Dingo 2’s armor can be supplemented with additional appliqué armor, normally a spaced aluminum/steel composition made by IBD and part of the MEXAS system.  The Dingo 2 is powered by stronger 237-horsepower diesel engine.  The suspension is heavy and on run-flat tires, with central tire pressure regulation.

 

Dingo 2 APC-Type Variants

     Variants of the Dingo 2 are normally based on the LWB version, which offers more room for customization and equipment. Some variants include an armored ambulance, able to take two stretcher cases and three seated patients as well as a medic in the rear.  It has, despite the limited space, a defibrillator, an oxygen administration kit, the equivalent of a doctor’s medical bag and 10 personal medical kits, an assortment of splits, bandages, cravats, space blankets, and other such items.

     A logistics version has large roof hatches as well as a widened rear hatch, and has rollers, lock-down points, and tie-down points for cargo.  The vehicle has a 2-ton-capacity crane to assist in cargo handling, and removable ramps to off-load the same.  It is essentially a stripped-down version of the LWB Dingo 2.

     The BUR carries a GSR set and a small crew to operate it.  The BUR’s GSR has a range of 30 kilometers.  Sensors also include a FLIR and image intensifier. A small computer helps tie together the data, and there is storage for intelligence gathered.  The vehicle has a long-range and a short-range radio, and the long-range radio is data-capable.

     There is an NBC reconnaissance version which has all the required gear for the detection and measurement of chemical, biological, and radiological contamination, including Geiger counters, dosimeters, chemical agent detection and identification equipment, and sampling equipment.  This version is equipped with an NBC overpressure system with a collective NBC backup. A small computer helps tie together the detection and sampling data, and the vehicle has a data-capable long-range radio and a short-range radio.

 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Dingo 1 exists in the Twilight 2000 timeline, but is a rare vehicle that exists only in German service.  The Dingo 2 does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

Dingo 1

$18,664

D, A

1.1 tons

6.4 tons

2+5

2

Passive IR (C)

Shielded

Dingo 2 SWB

$48,135

D, A

1.2 tons

9.2 tons

3+4

4

Passive IR (C), Image Intensification (C)

Shielded

Dingo 2 SWB w/Appliqué

$49,136

D, A

1.1 tons

9.7 tons

3+4

4

Passive IR (C), Image Intensification (C)

Shielded

Dingo 2 LWB

$50,488

D, A

1.2 tons

11.9 tons

3+7

6

Passive IR (C), Image Intensification (C)

Shielded

Dingo 2 LWB w/Appliqué

$51,489

D, A

1.1 tons

12.4 tons

3+7

6

 

 

Dingo 2 Ambulance

$58,062

D, A

600 kg

12.1 tons

****

7

Headlights

Shielded

Dingo 2 Ambulance w/Appliqué

$59,063

D, A

500 kg

12.6 tons

****

7

Headlights

Shielded

Dingo 2 Logistics

$39,135

D, A

1.5 tons

10.9 tons

2

5

Headlights

Shielded

Dingo 2 Logistics w/Appliqué

$40,136

D, A

1.4 tons

11.4 tons

2

5

Headlights

Shielded

Dingo 2 BUR

$232,482

D, A

600 kg

12 tons

3

7

Image Intensification (Mast), Thermal Imaging (Mast), GSR

Shielded

Dingo 2 BUR w/Appliqué

$233,483

D, A

500 kg

12.5 tons

3

9

Image Intensification (Mast), Thermal Imaging (Mast), GSR

Shielded

Dingo 2 NBC Recon

$388,082

D, A

500 kg

12.3 tons

3

9

Headlights

Shielded

Dingo 2 NBC Recon w/Appliqué

$389,083

D, A

400 kg

12.8 tons

3

9

Headlights

Shielded

 

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

Dingo 1

170/86

39/20

110

78

CiH

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF4  HS3  HR2*

Dingo 2 SWB

174/88

41/20

245

116

CiH

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF6  HS4  HR3**

Dingo 2 SWB w/Appliqué

165/84

39/19

245

122

CiH

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF7Sp  HS5Sp  HR3***

Dingo 2 LWB

134/68

32/15

245

150

CiH

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF6  HS4  HR3**

Dingo 2 LWB w/Appliqué

129/65

31/15

245

156

CiH

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF7Sp  HS5Sp  HR3***

Dingo 2 Ambulance

131/67

31/15

245

153

Stnd

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF6  HS4  HR3**

Dingo 2 Ambulance w/Appliqué

126/64

30/14

245

159

Stnd

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF7Sp  HS5Sp  HR3***

Dingo 2 Logistics

146/74

35/16

245

138

Stnd

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF6  HS4  HR3**

Dingo 2 Logistics w/Appliqué

139/71

33/16

245

144

Stnd

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF7Sp  HS5Sp  HR3***

Dingo 2 BUR

133/67

32/15

245

152

Stnd

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF6  HS4  HR3**

Dingo 2 BUR w/Appliqué

127/65

30/14

245

158

Stnd

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF7Sp  HS5Sp  HR3***

Dingo 2 NBC Recon

130/66

31/15

245

155

Stnd

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF6  HS4  HR3**

Dingo 2 NBC Recon w/Appliqué

125/63

30/14

245

162

Stnd

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF7Sp  HS5Sp  HR3***

 

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

Dingo 1

+1

Fair

MG-3 or MAG (C) or M-2HB (C) or HK GMG or Mk 19 (C), or 20mm Rh-202 autocannon

1000x7.62mm or 500x.50 or 150x40mm or 300x20mm

Dingo 2 APC

+1

Fair

MG-3 or MAG or M-2HB or HK GMG or Mk 19 or 20mm Rh-202 autocannon

1400x7.62mm or 700x.50 or 220x40mm or 430x20mm

Dingo 2 BUR/Logistics/NBC Recon

None

None

MG-3 or MAG (C)

1000x7.62mm

*The Dingo 1 has a floor AV of 4Sp in addition to being an MRAP hull.

**This version has a floor AV of 6Sp and a roof AV of 3 as well as being an MRAP hull.

***This version has a floor AV of 7Sp and a roof AV of 4 as well as being an MRAP hull.

****See Notes for Crew and passenger capacity.

 

Thyssen-Henschel Condor

     Notes:  The Condor was designed in the late 1970s to be the successor to the UR-416.  It did not enjoy the success of the UR-416, however, as it was not enough of an improvement over the UR-416 for most users of the UR-416 or potential new users to accept it.  The exception to this was Malaysia, who employed over 450 of them, where they acquired a reputation for vulnerability during combat use with the Malaysian Army in their operations with the UN force in Somalia in the 1990s; a few were even present during the “Black Hawk Down” incident, and one was lost to an RPG-7 round which not only killed the driver, but penetrated through to the engine compartment.  The Uruguayans also used 64 of them, and the Turkish, Thais, Portuguese, Indonesians, and Kuwaitis each used less than 25 each; small amounts have also been sold to NGOs and some national or city police forces worldwide.  Production continues today, though the Condor is now being built by Rheinmetall instead of Thyssen-Henschel.

     That said, the Condor does have improved armor, speed and load carrying capability over the UR-416, and is also amphibious.  The amount of ammunition normally carried is quite large for a vehicle of its size. The driver sits on the front left with bullet-resistant windows to the front and sides; these windows can be covered by armored shutters with vision slits in them to increase protection.  The small turret has a single hatch for the gunner.  The troops sit down the sides of the vehicle, and the infantry squad leader is behind the driver also facing the center. He has a pair of vision blocks to see out of the left side of the vehicle, but no firing port. There is a cluster of three smoke grenade launchers on each side of the turret (though some countries mount the smoke grenade launchers in banks of three on each side of the vehicle near the rear). The troop compartment has three firing ports in each side and two in the rear, as well as a hatch on the rear deck. There is a winch that can be led out the front or rear, with a capacity of 5 tons and 50 meters of cable.  It is large for a 4x4 vehicle, but much of this is the high ground clearance which gives the Condor good performance off-road and some extra resistance to mines and IEDs.

     The engine of the Condor is Mercedes-Benz OM-352A 168-horsepower diesel which is to the right of the driver compartment.  The driver has conventional controls, and a manual transmission.  The turrets used are Thyssen-Henschel designs, except for the 20mm autocannon turret which is a British FVT-900 turret as used on some versions of the Stormer APC. The suspension is partially borrowed from some Panhard designs; as stated above, the suspension is high, and the tires are, as on most wheeled military vehicles, run-flat tires. The vehicle is propelled in the water by a propeller that can be moved 360 degrees.  A trim vane must also be erected at the front for amphibious operations, and bilge pumps turned on; preparation for amphibious operations takes two minutes. Optional features include air conditioning, a collective NBC system, and a hatch for the driver which has a night vision block in it.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This armored personnel carrier was manufactured by Germany, but in the Twilight 2000 timeline was not actually used by that country until the Twilight War.  Germany normally outfitted Condors as long-range scout vehicles, with the rear set up to carry extra gear, ammunition, rations, and radios.

     Merc 2000 Notes: Light and inexpensive, the Condor is a popular APC for Third World countries in the Twilight 2000 timeline. 

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

Twin MG Turret

$39,719

D, A

3 tons

12 tons

3+9

8

Passive IR (C)

Enclosed

.50/7.62 Turret

$42,934

D, A

3.2 tons

12.2 tons

3+9

8

Passive IR (C)

Enclosed

20mm Turret

$45,694

D, A

3.2 tons

12.7 tons

3+7

10

Passive IR (C)

Enclosed

 

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

Twin MG Turret

126/63

30/14/3

280

82

CiH

W(3)

TF3  TS3  TR2  HF5  HS3  HR2*

.50/7.62 Turret

124/62

29/14/3

280

84

CiH

W(3)

TF3  TS3  TR2  HF5  HS3  HR2*

20mm Turret

118/59

28/13/3

280

87

Trtd

W(3)

TF5  TS3  TR3  HF5  HS3  HR3*

 

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

Twin MG Turret

+1

Fair

2xMG-3

3600x7.62mm

.50/7.62 Turret

+1

Fair

M-2HB, MG-3

1100x.50, 1800x7.62mm

20mm Turret

+1

Fair

20mm Oerlikon KAA, MG-3

440x20mm, 1800x7.62mm

*Floor armor is 3.

 

Thyssen-Henschel Fuchs

     Notes:  This vehicle was not originally intended to be a simple armored personnel carrier; instead, the Fuchs was meant to be a base chassis for a variety of specialist vehicles.  The Fuchs is therefore sometimes called a “retrofit platform,” since over 90 possible combinations are possible (32 of which have been built and gone into service). Variants of the basic chassis ranging from ambulances to command vehicles to combat engineer vehicles have been made; perhaps the most numerous variant is the NBC reconnaissance vehicle, such as the M-93 Fox, used by Germany, the US, Israel, Britain, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.  

     The front hull has two overhead hatches, one for the driver and one for the commander with a weapon mount; alternately, the hatch in the center deck of the vehicle can be fitted with a weapon mount instead.  Normal armament in German service is an MG-3, but the mounts are capable of taking any weapon able to be mounted on an NLT, NMT, or NHT; the US routinely uses the M-2HB on its M-93 Foxes, and the Germans have recently been, in Afghanistan, been mounting M-3M machineguns or HK GMG grenade launchers.  Troops enter and exit through two large doors in the rear; there are two vision blocks in each side of the hull and one in the right rear door, but no firing ports are fitted.  There are two more hatches on the rear deck, staggered from one another, and these normally also have weapon mounts.  The commander and driver have hatches on the sides of the cab for entry and exit. The engine of the Fuchs is a powerful Mercedes-Benz OM-402A multifuel engine developing 320 horsepower.  Transmission is automatic, and controls are power-assisted.  Suspension is 6x6 off-road with run-flat tires.  The Fuchs is amphibious, requiring the erection of a trim vane and the turning on of bilge pumps and propellers, requiring 2 minutes.  A banks of four smoke grenade cluster is count near the front on the sides of the vehicle.

    Basic APC versions can carry up to 14 troops, including the crew; the roof weapons are manned by those troops.  They sit in seats slung from roof harnesses, to help absorb the shock of running over a mine or IED.  However, as stated above, an APC is not normally the role of a Fuchs.

     Some variants include one carrying the RASIT ground surveillance radar and other sensors on an extendible mast, to make a reconnaissance and surveillance vehicle.  The RASIT vehicle has both a GSR and a mortar/artillery counterbattery radar set (with a range of 30km), and the sensor mast includes FLIR, day and night image intensification, a laser rangefinder, TV cameras (both day and LLTV), and recording equipment, along with extra radios (two long range with data capability, two medium-range, and one short-range), a ruggedized computer, and copious digital and analog storage capacity.

     The command version has a BMS system with additional vision gear on the roof on an extendible mast, similar to the RASIT sensor mast above, but without the recording equipment.  The vehicle has two long-range radios (one of which is data-capable), two medium-range, and two-short-range radios, a ruggedized computer, and the usual LCD screens, monitoring equipment for the vehicle and enemy and friendly units, and space for maps, office and plotting-type supplies, and an independent map board.  The vehicle has a small table and folding chairs for the command crew.

     The communications vehicle is normally used in a command post unit at battalion level and above.  The vehicle has four long-range and two medium-range vehicles; one long-range radio is data-capable (for supplying data to the command post).  It has a switchboard able to handle up 30 field telephones, and itself carries 20 field telephones and 200 meters of commo wire.  It also carries a variety of spare parts for radios and communications equipment, and has a SATCOM terminal.  The vehicle has a computer which is used to coordinate the communications functions, and is not a fully-functioning computer. The communications version normally tows a trailer with more communications gear such as parts and hoards more commo wire, as well as spare radios and communications gear for the command post.  There are several different versions of this vehicle, with somewhat different equipment.  The command and communications versions are both collectively referred to as the FüFü.

     The NBC reconnaissance version, designated the Spürfuchs by the Germans, is perhaps the most common version of the Fuchs in use in the world.  Perhaps the best known example is the US M-93 Fox (which will be covered on the US Wheeled APCs page), but in general, the Spürfuchs includes sensors to detect a wide variety of chemical, biological, and radiological agents, including the ability to take samples not only from the air, but from surfaces in the area through two extendible arms.  The vehicle includes an onboard computer to assist in chemical analysis; this computer is restricted to analyzing and detecting chemical agents and relaying the information to other units.  A data-capable long-range radio, medium-range radio, and short-range radio has been mounted.  The radiological sensors include a basic Geiger counter, a dosimeter, and a radiation analysis mechanism (types and amounts of various rays such as alpha, beta, and gamma radiation).  The Spürfuchs is radiation-hardened and has an NBC overpressure system with a collective NBC backup.  At the rear, a set of two 40-flag dispensers are mounted to mark contaminated areas; these operate remotely.

     The Eloka is an electronic warfare vehicle with equipment to detect and jam radar and radio transmissions.  Jamming range for radar is 15 kilometers and for radio 30 kilometers.  A total of four bands of radar and six bands of radio can be jammed, but only two bands of radar and three of radio can be jammed at once.  Radar detection range is the same as its jamming range – 15 kilometers.  Radio detection range is 50 kilometers.  The EW version can be distinguished by the many unusual aerials on the roof.  A small computer helps tie these functions together, but it is a simple computer which does not have the functions of a laptop; it simply gives the crew the required information.     The HELAS is a more powerful EW/reconnaissance vehicle which can jam up to six bands of radar and radio at once, and includes radar and radio detection equipment with a range of 50 km each.  The HELAS can also detect the electronic emissions of a computer at short range (15 km), and attempt to hack into such computers (Formidable: Electronics task). The HELAS also has a GSR set as well as a sensor mast similar to that of the RASIT above.  The HELAS necessarily has powerful computers with large amounts of storage and processing power.  It has limited BMS capability, able to keep track of friendly and enemy positions and intelligence information.

     The Fuchs-San is a standard Transportpanzer 1 Fuchs multipurpose vehicle outfitted for use as an ambulance, and used by many of the same countries that use the Fuchs for other purposes.  In this role, the Fuchs has brackets to carry up to 4 stretcher-borne patients and four seated patients or 10 seated patients as well as a medic, and medical equipment such as a refrigerator, oxygen administration set, a defibrillator, enough refills of the personal medical kit for a platoon, a doctor's medical bag, and equipment such as bandages and splints.

     These specialist versions of the Fuchs typically have APUs with a capacity of 5-15kW.  All of these vehicles can be fitted with an appliqué armor package provided by MEXAS, which consists of spaced armor panels of steel and aluminum. The appliqué armor kit normally includes power assist for the doors and hatches, as it makes them heavier.

      

     Twilight 2000 Notes: As the Twilight War went on, more and more of these vehicles were pressed into service as APCs or logistics carriers, where their roomy interiors proved very adept at transporting lots of troops or equipment.  There were at least 32 variants of the Fuchs before the war, and the highly adaptable chassis spawned more ad hoc variants during the Twilight War. 

 

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

Fuchs (Basic)

$32,769

D, G, A

6 tons

18.3 tons

2+12

12

Headlights

Shielded

Fuchs (Basic) w/Appliqué

$41,351

D, G, A

5.6 tons

19.7 tons

2+12

12

Headlights

Shielded

RASIT

$614,392

D, G, A

2.8 tons

19.7 tons

5

14

GSR, Mortar/Artillery Radar, Thermal Imaging (Mast), 4xImage Intensification (Mast)

Shielded

RASIT w/Appliqué

$622,974

D, G, A

2.4 tons

21.1 tons

5

14

GSR, Mortar/Artillery Radar, Thermal Imaging (Mast), 4xImage Intensification (Mast)

Shielded

FüFü Command

$328,001

D, G, A

2.5 tons

19.9 tons

2+5

14

Thermal Imaging (Mast), 4xImage Intensification (Mast)

Shielded

FüFü Command w/Appliqué

$336,583

D, G, A

2.1 tons

21.3 tons

2+5

14

Thermal Imaging (Mast), 4xImage Intensification (Mast)

Shielded

FüFü Communications

$116,148

D, G, A

2.8 tons

19.6 tons

5

14

Headlights

Shielded

FüFü Communications w/Appliqué

$124,730

D, G, A

2.4 tons

21 tons

5

14

Headlights

Shielded

Spürfuchs

$432,641

D, G, A

1.3 tons

18.7 tons

3

14

Headlights

Shielded

Spürfuchs w/Appliqué

$441,223

D, G, A

950 kg

20.1 tons

3

14

Headlights

Shielded

Eloka

$705,230

D, G, A

2.9 tons

18.7 tons

5

14

Headlights

Shielded

Eloka w/Appliqué

$713,812

D, G, A

2.5 tons

20.1 tons

5

14

Headlights

Shielded

HELAS

$1,164,580

D, G, A

2.8 tons

18.9 tons

5

15

Headlights

Shielded

HELAS w/Appliqué

$1,173,162

D, G, A

2.4 tons

20.3 tons

5

15

Headlights

Shielded

Fuchs-San

$41,435

D, G, A

2.7 tons

19 tons

**

13

Headlights

Shielded

Fuchs-San w/Appliqué

$50,017

D, G, A

2.3 tons

20.4 tons

**

13

Headlights

Shielded

 

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

Fuchs (Basic)

151/76

35/18/4

390

170

Stnd

W(4)

HF8  HS5  HR3

Fuchs (Basic) w/Appliqué

140/71

33/17/3

390

184

Stnd

W(4)

HF12Sp  HS6Sp  HR4*

RASIT

140/71

33/17/3

390

184

Stnd

W(4)

HF8  HS5  HR3

RASIT w/Appliqué

130/66

31/16/3

390

197

Stnd

W(4)

HF12Sp  HS6Sp  HR4*

FüFü Command

139/70

32/17/3

390

177

Stnd

W(4)

HF8  HS5  HR3

FüFü Command w/Appliqué

130/65

30/15/3

390

197

Stnd

W(4)

HF12Sp  HS6Sp  HR4*

FüFü Communications

140/71

32/17/3

390

182

Stnd

W(4)

HF8  HS5  HR3

FüFü Communications w/Appliqué

131/66

30/16/3

390

196

Stnd

W(4)

HF12Sp  HS6Sp  HR4*

Spürfuchs/Eloka

148/74

34/18/3

390

173

Stnd

W(4)

HF8  HS5  HR3

Spürfuchs w/Appliqué/Eloka w/Appliqué

137/69

32/16/3

390

187

Stnd

W(4)

HF12Sp  HS6Sp  HR4*

HELAS

146/74

34/18/3

390

175

Stnd

W(4)

HF8  HS5  HR3

HELAS w/Appliqué

136/68

32/16/3

390

189

Stnd

W(4)

HF12Sp  HS6Sp  HR4*

Fuchs-San

145/73

34/17/3

390

177

Stnd

W(4)

HF8  HS5  HR3

Fuchs-San w/Appliqué

136/68

32/16/3

390

189

Stnd

W(4)

HF12Sp  HS6Sp  HR4*

 

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

Fuchs (except Fuchs-San)

None

None

MG-3, MAG, M-2HB, M-3M, or HK GMG/Mk 19 AGL (C, 2xRear)

Up to 3000x7.62mm, 1800x.50, or 575x40mm, or ratio combination of those

*Roof AV is 3; Floor AV is 4Sp.

**See Notes above for Crew and passenger capacity.

 

Thyssen Henschel TM-170

     Notes: This light APC was produced as a successor to the UR-416 in some roles, and looks like what it is: a medium Unimog truck chassis given an armored body.  The TM-170, designated the SW-4 in German service, was selected by the German Border Guards in 1982; other than that use, the only known export customers were Kuwait, who acquired the TM-170 in 1993, and Macedonia, who bought some in 1999-2000 and called the Hermelin.  German TM-170s were passed on to the German Army at large some years ago.  The TM-170 was in turn replaced by the Condor. Military versions of the TM-170 are carry the company designation of TM-170 BGS.

     As stated, the TM-170 is basically an armored truck, with the engine in front, driver and commander to its immediate rear, and a rear troop compartment.  The troop compartment has one small and one large roof hatch, with the smaller hatch in the center and having a machinegun mount.  Many also have a small turret in the center of the troop compartment, armed with light or medium weapons.   Turrets are one-man. Police versions typically have a small turret with a small single-shot grenade launcher loaded from the inside of the turret. The troop compartment also has a door in each side of the hull, and double hatch in the rear which opens up and down. Most are APCs, with some communications vehicle versions and armored workshop versions. Some, though not all, have two firing ports in each side and two in the rear. The troops sit down the sides of the vehicle. Four smoke grenade launchers are found on each side of the vehicle near the front of the hull; alternatively, there is one cluster of four at the rear of the turret or commander’s cupola. 

     The driver and commander are in the front, in a cab behind a bullet-resistant windshield, with side doors which have bullet-resistant windows in them.  Armored shutters can be lowered to increase protection, with the commander and driver using three vision blocks to the front during this time. The driver and commander also have roof hatches, with the commander’s hatch having a weapon mount on the standard APC version. The engine is front-mounted, and is a Mercedes-Benz OM-366 turbocharged diesel developing 240 horsepower, coupled to an automatic transmission which is power-boosted along with power steering and brakes. The suspension is 4x4, switchable to 4x2 for road use, and is a cross-country suspension with a beefed-up suspension and run-flat tires. The TM-170 is fully amphibious with preparation (two minutes), and can ford to a depth of 1.3 meters without preparation.

     Police versions are typically unarmed or have a light grenade launcher cupola, with a grenade launcher able to launch irritant gas or smoke grenades. They have an air horn and a loudspeaker/PA system, as well as a light dozer blade at the front for clearing obstacles (it is not strong enough to dig fighting positions or plow mines, but allows for an increase of armor of 2Sp if hit, which is a 25% chance if hit from the front). A surveillance cupola is also available, with recording devices, shotgun microphones, and LLTV, as well as recording equipment inside of the vehicle; this turret is unarmed or has only a grenade launcher as per the Police version (this is reflected in the stats below). Police versions can be fitted with a water cannon fed by a 1000-liter water tank or an irritant gas tank.  The water/gas tank has a range of 50 meters. A further version, the TM-170 Hardliner, is a low-cost alternative to the TM-170, less armored, with the commander’s station having a simple pintle weapons mount.  The Hardliner Patrol has an open rear section with a fully-enclosed cab and is typically unarmed.  The Hardliner uses a 214-horsepower engine and has a smaller fuel tank at 170 liters.  Police versions and Hardliners are not amphibious.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

TM-170 BGS Basic APC

$23,074

D, A

1.5 tons

11.6 tons

2+10

6

Headlights

Enclosed

TM-170 BGS Twin MG Turret

$32,727

D, A

1.4 tons

11.8 tons

3+8

6

Passive IR (G)

Enclosed

TM-170 BGS .50/7.62 Turret

$35,434

D, A

1.3 tons

12 tons

3+8

6

Passive IR (G)

Enclosed

TM-170 BGS Autocannon Turret

$40,468

D, A

1.2 tons

12.5 tons

3+8

10

Passive IR (G)

Enclosed

TM-170 Police

$26,975

D, A

1.6 tons

11.6 tons

3+8

6

Headlights

Enclosed

TM-170 Surveillance

$34,183

D, A

700 kg

11.8 tons

3+4

7

Image Intensification (Turret/G)

Enclosed

TM-170 Hardliner

$22,524

D, A

1.4 tons

11.6 tons

2+10

6

Headlights

Enclosed

TM-170 Hardliner Patrol

$12,755

D, A

1.5 tons

11.3 tons

2+10

6

Headlights

Enclosed

 

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

TM-170 BGS Basic APC

168/85

39/20/4

200

125

Stnd

W(3)

HF6  HS3  HR2

TM-170 BGS Twin MG Turret

165/83

38/19/3

200

127

CiH

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF6  HS3  HR2

TM-170 BGS .50/7.62 Turret

163/82

38/19/3

200

129

CiH

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF6  HS3  HR2

TM-170 BGS Autocannon Turret

159/80

37/18/3

200

135

Trtd

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF6  HS3  HR2

TM-170 Police

168/85

39/20

200

125

CiH

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF6  HS3  HR2

TM-170 Surveillance

165/83

38/19

200

127

CiH

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF6  HS3  HR2

TM-170 Hardliner

154/78

36/18

170

111

Stnd

W(3)

HF5  HS3  HR2

TM-170 Hardliner Patrol

157/79

36/18

170

108

Stnd

W(3)

HF5  HS3  HR2*

 

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

TM-170 BGS Basic APC/Hardliner

None

None

M-2HB (C) or MG-3 (C)

1000x.50 or 2000x7.62mm

TM-170 BGS Twin MG Turret

+1

Fair

2xMG-3

2000x7.62mm

TM-170 BGS .50/7.62 Turret

+1

Fair

M-2HB, MG-3

500x.50, 1000x7.62mm

TM-170 BGS Autocannon Turret

+1

Fair

20mm Rh-202 Autocannon, MG-3

400x20mm, 1000x7.62mm

TM-170 Police/Surveillance

None

None

37mm, 38mm, or 40mm Irritant Gas Grenade Launcher

375x37mm, 38mm, or 40mm

*This vehicle has no top for its rear troop section.

 

Thyssen-Henschel UR-416

     Notes:  Based on the chassis of a Unimog cross-country vehicle fitted with an armored body, the UR-416 is a light APC used mostly by police forces and border guards in the countries that use them.  The UR-416 is or has been used by some 20 countries, on every continent except North America.  They were built under license by several countries, and without license by the former Rhodesia; one is even used by Lebanon, who captured it from the PLO, who in turn are not licensed builders of the UR-416.  Production began in 1969, and the UR-416 was produced mostly for export. Many countries who use the UR-416 call it the Pig or some variation of it, at least informally. The UR-416 is largely an APC, but can also be used in a variety of other roles.  About 1030 were built, with over 1000 of them being exported or license-produced.  They are not particularly well-protected or good APCs, but are cheap and easy to build and maintain.

     The UR-416 is a lumpish, squat, square-bodied vehicle with moderately-sloped frontal and side armor.  The driver is in the front left of the vehicle behind a vision port that has an armored shutter.  To his side is a window, also with an armored shutter.  To the driver’s right is a commander’s station, also with armored shutters and vision ports.  The commander has a roof hatch with a weapons mount, or light turret. (Most are armed only with light or medium machineguns.)  Troop access is by a door on either side of the vehicle (and one in the rear), and there are two roof hatches.  There are four vision blocks on each side of the vehicle and two in the rear, along with two firing ports in each side and two in the rear, but these are merely holes in the hull with armored shutters. The doors are clamshell-type doors, with the bottom half having small stairs. The roof hatches also have firing ports and can be used as armored gun shields when raised. The troops are seated three down each side and two at the rear facing the rear.  In the front of the vehicle is a winch with a 5-ton capacity and 40 meters of cable. 

     The engine used in a Mercedes-Benz OM-352 120-horsepower diesel engine, with manual transmission and power steering and brakes.  The suspension has decent cross-country capabilities, with a good ground clearance.  The drive is 4x4, switchable to 4x2 for road use, with the rear wheels becoming the drive wheels.  The UR-416 generally has a pintle-mounted machinegun at the commander’s hatch, but sometimes this is replaced by an automatic grenade launcher or a small turret fitted with a 20mm autocannon, M-2HB, or twin light/medium machineguns.

     The unlicensed Rhodesian copies of the UR-416 were built after a controversy about how they got the plans in the first place.  Zimbabwe still used them until recently. The first ones were direct copies of the UR-416; they were the ones that started the “Pig” appellation. The next versions of Rhodesian UR-416s differ greatly, having a raised roofline and having no roof.  Over the commander’s station is a pintle mount for a Hispano-Suiza Mk 5 (HS-404) 20mm autocannon, scavenged from old Vampire jet fighters.  On each side was a MAG machinegun on a pintle mount; at the rear was an M-2HB.  The vehicles were not particularly protected against mines or IEDs and were eventually mostly replaced with MRAP-type vehicles of South African origin.  These Rhodesian versions typically carried less troops and more ammunition.

     PLO versions were sometimes seen with mounts for AT-3 or Entac ATGMs on the roof, though they were most often equipped with additional machineguns by the roof hatches.

     Salvadoran UR-416s are normally equipped with wrap-around mesh armor, similar to a chain-link fence, which stands off from the vehicle’s sides and front.  This is an ad hoc form of spaced armor which is light and easy to make and maintain.  Unlike standard spaced armor, it stops only 1d6 damage instead of 2d6 from HE-type rounds.  In addition to the commander’s weapon, Salvadoran UR-416s have weapon mounts by their roof hatches, which typically have an M-2HB by the center hatch and an M-1919A4 converted to 7.62mm NATO at the rear hatch.  The commander’s weapon is normally an M-2HB as well. These mounts have AV2 gun shields to the front of the weapon.

     Police (Internal Security) versions are equipped with an obstacle-clearing blade at the front of the vehicle.  This blade can push something like a car or roadblock out of the way, but is not strong enough to use as a mine plow or dig fighting positions.  It gives the UR-416 an increase in AV to the front of the vehicle of 2Sp (25% chance to hit it). The Internal Security version has a rotating cupola where the center roof hatch normally is that has a weapon mount for a standard version; the cupola has a single vision block to the front and rear, as well as a rotating periscope. A second weapon mount on the cupola has an irritant gas nozzle, fed by a 500-liter internal tank. The Internal Security version has double rows of vision blocks on each side instead of single vision blocks. Passenger capacity is reduced somewhat by the irritant gas tank.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: During the Twilight War, large numbers of these vehicles were pressed into service as mainstream APCs due to losses among vehicles of other types.   At least 17 countries had the UR-416 in service at the time of the Twilight War.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

Basic APC

$15,198

D, A

800 kg

7.6 tons

2+8

6

Headlights

Enclosed

Twin MG Turret

$27,925

D, A

800 kg

7.8 tons

2+8

6

Passive IR (C)

Enclosed

M-2HB Turret

$26,366

D, A

800 kg

7.8 tons

2+8

6

Passive IR (C)

Enclosed

Autocannon Turret

$31,311

D, A

700 kg

8.1 tons

2+8

6

Passive IR (C)

Enclosed

Rhodesian UR-416

$46,954

D, A

800 kg

7.4 tons

2+6

4

Headlights

Enclosed

Salvadoran UR-416

$35,415

D, A

700 kg

7.8 tons

2+8

6

Headlights

Enclosed

Internal Security

$53,172

D, A

650 kg

7.9 tons

2+7

6

Headlights

Enclosed

 

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

Basic APC

133/67

31/16

150

59

Stnd

W(3)

HF4  HS3  HR2

Twin MG Turret/M-2HB Turret

131/66

31/15

150

61

CiH

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF4  HS3  HR2

Autocannon Turret

125/63

29/15

150

63

CiH

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HF4  HS3  HR2

Rhodesian UR-416

135/68

31/17

150

57

Stnd

W(3)

HF4  HS3  HR2

Salvadoran UR-416

131/66

31/15

150

61

Stnd

W(3)

HF4Sp  HS3Sp  HR2*

Internal Security

128/64

30/15

150

61

Stnd

W(3)

HF4  HS3  HR2

 

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

Basic APC

None

None

MG-3 or M-2HB (C)

1000x7.62mm or 600x.50

Twin MG Turret

+1

Fair

2xMG-3 (C)

1000x7.62mm

M-2HB Turret

+1

Fair

M-2HB (C)

600x.50

Autocannon Turret

+1

Fair

20mm Rh-202 Autocannon (C)

450x20mm

Rhodesian UR-416

None

None

20mm HS-404 Autocannon (C), MAG (Right, Left), M-2HB (R)

500x20mm, 2000x7.62mm, 1000x.50

Salvadoran UR-416

None

None

M-2HB (C), M-2HB, MAG (Rear)

1200x.50, 2000x7.62mm

Internal Security

None

None

MG-3, Irritant Gas Dispenser

1000x7.62mm, 500 Liters Irritant Gas

*This is not standard spaced armor; see above.