| | | Mercedes-Benz at AAD 2010 | | | Monday , 20 September 2010, 23:00 PM | | | | | Mercedes-Benz is presenting a selection of vehicles from its extensive range of products for military customers at AAD 2010. | | | | | | Mercedes-Benz is presenting a selection of vehicles from its extensive range of products for military customers, with payloads between 0,5 and 110 tones, in Hall 5 stand 5S15 at the AAD 2010 (21 – 25 September 2010). Mercedes-Benz Military division of Mercedes-Benz South Africa offers a full range of military-specific vehicles, backed by all the experience and expertise of the world’s largest and oldest producer of commercial vehicles.
| | | | Mercedes-Benz Actros, Zetros and Unimog ideally suited for Southern Africa
On display is the Actros 3344 A in an 6x6 configuration with a ‘SHARCC’ (Southern Hemisphere armoured cab concept) cab. This cab is designed to conform to a ballistic level 1 and a mine level 3a/3b, with no IED protection. This configuration is geared towards situations typical in Africa and South America, where close-range and small artillery exchanges can occur – but mines remain a bigger threat, especially on untarred roads. The cab is at a concept-level at this stage, with the testing and certification not having being completed as yet. | | | The new generation all-wheel-drive Zetros is a conventional-type truck, which is characterised by its “normal control” configuration (cab located behind the engine). Where safe and hospitable roads are few and far between, and the way ahead is made up of only tracks or the terrain itself – for example relief assignments or military operations such as peacekeeping missions – the Zetros is sure to have the answer. | | | The all-in-one concept (chassis, cab and vehicle bodies) meets the current requirements associated with high-mobile, on-road and off-road vehicles. The flat cab floor enables the crew to quickly leave the vehicle from the safe side in each case, while the doors, which do not need to be fully opened – as is usual with cab-behind-engine vehicles – also help improve deployment options in confined conditions. Having the driver in a fixed position provides the ideal basis for the installation of all types of add-on roof equipment (weight limits are to be observed), while the walk-on bonnet not only makes such installations easier, but also provides ease of access for cleaning the windows or attaching blackout systems. The forward tilting bonnet in this series facilitates fast and easy access to the engine compartment. The cab does not need to be tilted to service the vehicle. This means that some of the crew can stay in the lower front axle load of the cab-behind-engine design frees up additional payload reserves, which together with the favourable weight distribution opens up unique possibilities when it comes to the design of armoured vehicles. | Unimog Mercedes-Benz with upgrade armor | | | Completing the display line-up is the Unimog U 5000 that gives maximum mobility in the toughest of terrain. The Unimog U 3 000, U 4000 and U 5000 series for heavy-duty applications under extreme off road conditions have become legendary with their versatility. The Unimog is the vehicle with the greatest off-road capability in the world in permissible gross vehicle weight classes of between 7.5 tonnes and 14.1 tonnes. Thanks to their outstanding off-road capabilities, these Unimog vehicles are perfectly suited to military applications in the most difficult terrain. | Unimog Mercedes-Benz with upgrade armor | | Full range of vehicles from 0.5 to 100 tonnes payload
he range of Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles with special military equipment combines superb off-road capability with a fording depth of more than 1 000 mm, regardless of payload. These vehicles are similar to the commercially available civilian trucks in the fact that the payloads range from 0.7 tonnes for the G-Class, 0.5 tonnes to 2.0 tonnes for the Mercedes-Benz vans, the Sprinter and the Vito, 3 tonnes to 5 tonnes for the Atego, 5 tonnes to 7 tonnes for the Axor, and right through to 7 tonnes to 18 tonnes for the various two, three or four-axle Actros models.
The low cab design enables the 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles to be air-lifted in transport aircraft such as the Hercules C 130 or the Transall C 160 with a minimum of preparation. Rail transportability is also assured as the vehicle complies with the international loading gauge.
| Actros recovery truck Mercedes-Benz | | The specific range of military vehicles stands out by meeting military standards and technical specifications, such as all-wheel-drive with single tyres, supreme off-road mobility, ballistic protection, air and rail transportability, fording depths up to 1 195 mm, blackout lighting system, roof hatch, tyre pressure control, etc. The full model line-up extends from the G-Glass to the Unimog U 3 000, U 4000 and U 5000 series, from the Zetros to the Mercedes-Benz heavy-duty truck family with all-wheel-drive. | | | | | | | |