Another 149 Dingo Vehicles for the Bundeswehr
(click to view larger)
The Budget Committee of the German Parliament has given the go-ahead for the procurement of 149 Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) Dingo 2 mine-resistant patrol vehicles. A EUR 109 million contract is expected very soon, including 15 “immediate requirement” vehicles. 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), Austria (20), and Israel (60 vehicles, but the order never went through). KMW even has a US manufacturing partner, via Bell Textron Land Systems.
Note that Israel’s request was stalled by German politics, which led to the development of Plasan Sasa’s rival “Caracal” vehicle and may end up costing KMW the order.
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. When fitted with up to 4.4 tonnes of armor, it will protect against artillery fragments, anti-personnel and some anti-tank mines as well as against NBC agents. Its 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 thanks to the composite belly pan was hailed by builder Krauss-Maffei Wegman as proof of the vehicle’s combat survivability.
