Dingo-2s for Germany
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Mine-resistant vehicles are emerging as a basic requirement for international deployments, and many advanced armies are making the shift. One of the quiet hotbeds for that trend has been Germany. They were an early adopter and fielder of mine-resistant vehicles, and appear to be building up KMW’s mine-resistant Dingo-2 as an important vehicle in their future force.
Meanwhile, German firms are innovating with new mine-resistant designs for a number of future roles, presaging the widespread hardening of the German Bundeswehr against land mine threats. The German Bundeswehr continues to buy the Dingos, as that process continues.
- The Dingo-2 Family
- Contracts & Key Events [updated]
- Additional Readings
The Dingo-2 Family
(via CASR)
The DINGO 2 is an upgrade to the DINGO 1 “all-protected transport vehicle” fielded in 2000. Built on a Unimog 5000 truck chassis, its patrol and security version offers space for up to 8 crew in the long wheel-base verison. A tyre inflation system provides high mobility and emergency tyres ensure continued mobility. Support services are provided by Daimler’s worldwide service network.
When fitted with up to 4.4 tonnes of armor, The Dingo-2 will protect against armor-piercing small arms fire per NATO STANAG 4569, artillery fragments, anti-personnel and some anti-tank mines, as well as against NBC (Nuclear, Biological, & Chemical) agents. Fragment protection is ensured through the double hull, and a belly pan inside the vehicle reduces pressure waves as well as deformations in the event of AP or AV mine detonation. This modular armor system has received some criticism, but an October 2005 incident in which a Bundeswehr Dingo 1 survived a 6-7kg/15-pound land mine explosion with no injuries was hailed by builder Krauss-Maffei Wegman as proof of the vehicle’s combat survivability.
Variants include Ambulance; Ground Surveillance Radar (BUR); Nuclear, Biological and Chemical reconnaissance; a pickup/cargo model; and the “GSI Workshop” model that’s effectively a repair workshop on wheels.
The Dingo-2 has also been featured in a number of international competitions, losing some but picking up wins in neighboring Austria (20), Belgium (352), The Czech Republic (4, facing issues), and Luxembourg (48).
Contracts & Key Events
April 6/10: Germany’s BWB procurement agency orders a full set of a new type of Dingo: 44 Dingo-2 GSI battle damage repair vehicles, exercising an option under the July 2008 order.
The new vehicles are identified by their raised roof, and a carry mobile workshop equipped with an integrated storage system for tools, machinery and wearing and spare parts; and even their own generator to produce electricity. Self-defense will be handled by a 7.62mm KMW-FLW 100 remote-controlled weapons system on the roof.
This order brings total orders for Dingo-2 GSI vehicles to 48, and overall Dingo-2 orders to 422: 340 out of an expected 450, plus an additional 82 BUR carriers. The entire order will be delivered to the German Army by the end of 2010. KMW release.
March 29/10: The Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement (BWB) orders another 41 Dingo-2s from Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), which the German Army will deploy in Afghanistan. KMW release.
July 4/08: KMW announces a 3-part order from the German BWB procurement agency. The core of this order is 50 Dingo-2s, and 4 DINGO-2 GSI battle damage repair vehicles. These 54 vehicles will be fast-tracked for delivery by the end of 2008, bringing the ordered total to 255 out of an expected 450, plus an additional 82 BUR carriers.
The second part of the order is an option for 44 more DINGO 2 GSI vehicles, which are used as battle damage repair vehicles. This would bring total German Dingo-2 orders to 381.
The 3rd component of this order involves Krauss-Maffei Wegman’s FLW remote-controlled weapons stations (RWS). These offer more protection to the crew, improved surveillance, and fire-on-the-move capability, in exchange for reduced field of view. RWS are aimed and fired from within a vehicle, using a stabilized mount and advanced day/night optics linked to an interior screen and controller. The German armed forces ran an international comparative trial in 2007, and decided that these German RWS systems met their needs.
Germany is now ordering 230 FLW 100 light RCWs that can mount weapons up to 7.62mm, including Germany’s excellent MG3 machine gun. The FLW 100 weighs only 80 kg/ 176 pounds, which makes it very suitable for smaller patrol vehicles or specialty vehicles. When more firepower is needed, Germany is ordering 190 FLW 200 heavy weapons stations that can mount 12.7 mm machine guns or 40mm automatic grenade launchers, and weigh about 170 kg/ 375 pounds.
Jan 16/08: Krauss-Maffei Wegmann is testing early prototypes of a new variant in the blast-resistant DINGO family of mine-protected vehicles, a reconnaissance version called the DING0 2 NC-Recce with additional sensors and nuclear, biological and chemical detection gear. Defense News.
June 21/07: KMW announces a contract from the BWB to design the Grizzly, a heavier 6×6 companion to the Dingo-2.
July 27/06: The Budget Committee of the German Parliament gives the go-ahead to buy 149 more Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) Dingo 2 mine-resistant patrol vehicles. A EUR 109 million contract is expected very soon, including 15 “immediate requirement” vehicles. KMW release.
German troops are currently serving in both Kosovo and Afghanistan. This purchase will add to the 52 Dingos the Bundeswher bought in 2005; Defense Update’s profile reports that the eventual target is currently about 450 vehicles, and the Dingo has also been ordered by Belgium (352), and Austria (20).
Additional Readings
- Krauss Maffei Wegman – Dingo 2. Unfortunately, the new web site is a sharp step down; but the navigation does list several variants.
- Defense Update – Dingo – All-Protected Vehicle
- KMW – Weapon Stations. Remotely-operated Weapon Systems with advanced sensors and machine guns, which can be operated from inside a vehicle.
