The Spähpanzer Luchs (German: Lynx) is a
German 8x8 amphibious reconnaissance armoured fighting vehicle (Spähpanzer) in
service since 1975 by the German Army, who used a total of 408 in their
armoured reconnaissance battalions. It was developed by Daimler-Benz between
1968 and 1975, replacing the M41 and the Schützenpanzer SPz 11-2 Kurz.
The all-wheel drive Luchs made by
Thyssen-Henschel (now: Rheinmetall) is well armoured, has an NBC protection
system and is characterized by its low-noise running. The eight large
low-pressure tyres have run-flat properties. At speeds up to about 50 km/h all
four axles can be steered. As a special feature the vehicle is equipped with a
special rear-facing driver with his own driving position. Up to the first
combat effectiveness upgrade in 1986 the Luchs was fully amphibious and could
surmount water obstacles quickly and independently using propellers at the rear
and the fold back trim vane at the front.
The 20 mm Rheinmetall MK 20 Rh 202 gun in
the turret is similar to the one in the Marder IFV. The upgrade to the Luchs A1
starting in 1986 included the incorporation of a thermal observation and
gunnery system, which replaced the original infrared/white light night vision
system mounted to the left of the turret. The incorporation of the new SEM
80/90 radio system gave it the designation SpPz 2 Luchs A2. The Luchs was
replaced by the Fennek in Bundeswehr service.
TPz (Transportpanzer) Fuchs
("fox") is an armoured personnel carrier developed by Daimler-Benz
and built by Thyssen-Henschel in 1979. It was the second wheeled armoured
vehicle to be fielded in the Bundeswehr. It is used for tasks including troop
transport, engineer transport, bomb disposal, NBC (Nuclear, Biological and
Chemical) reconnaissance and electronic warfare. In selecting models and
retrofit kits, more than 90 combinations are possible; 32 have been produced.
The TPz Fuchs is thus referred to as a "retrofit platform".
The engine is a Mercedes-Benz Model OM 402A
V-8 liquid-cooled 320 HP diesel. Its top speed is 105 km/h and the range is 800
km. It is 7.33 m long, 2.98 m wide and 2.37 m high. It weighs 18.3 tons with
the capability to carry 6 tons in equipment. The 6x6 APC has high performance
over many terrains, with low noise. Its rear-mounted propellers with 360°
turning range enable it to take water obstacles at 10 km/h.
MAN
(4 x 4), (6 x 6) and (8 x 8) Category 1 (Kat 1) high-mobility tactical trucks
(Germany), Trucks
In the late 1950s and early 1960s the West
German Technical Office for Armament and Military Purchases drew up
requirements for a new range (or second generation) of vehicles for the army.
Covering all weight classes and mobility levels, the Bundeswehr's second
generation requirement originally called for some 62,000 vehicles (of all
classes including cars and buses) including four-tonne (4 × 4), 7-tonne (6 × 6)
and 10-tonne (8 × 8) trucks, (4 × 4) and (6 × 6) armoured amphibious load
carriers and an (8 × 8) amphibious reconnaissance vehicle.To meet development
and production demands, a joint venture led by MAN and including
Klockner-Humboldt-Deutz (KHD), Rheinstahl-Henschel, Krupp (which later dropped
out) and Bussing (acquired by MAN in 1971) was set up. The first prototype
vehicles were shown at the end of the 1960s, and a further two prototype series
were developed before the first genuine pre-production vehicles were designed
and built. Along the development trail it became clear that the highly
technical vehicles as originally specified would simply not be affordable, so
many of the more ambitious wish list-type features were dropped; truck numbers
were also reduced to 18,000. In 1972 the amphibious specification and the
requirement that the vehicles should be powered by an air-cooled multifuel
engine were dropped. In 1975 the four-tonne rating was uprated to five-tonne
and at the same time this models' rear cargo platform was lengthened and the
wheelbase was increased from 4.3 to 4.5 m. Armoured vehicles evolved to become
a separate development.
Category I In December 1975, MAN was
awarded a contract to build 8,385 (4 × 4), (6 × 6) and (8 × 8) Category 1
vehicles at a cost of DM1,400 million; this production total was further
reduced to 7,925 in 1979. The usual abbreviation for Category 1 vehicles is Kat
or KAT 1, although this is sometimes presented as Cat or CAT 1.The (8 × 8)
version was the first Kat 1 model to enter production and first deliveries were
made in 1976. Deliveries of a (6 × 6) tipper and the (4 × 4) cargo truck began
in 1977. Deliveries of the (6 × 6) cargo truck began in January 1979; final
deliveries were made in 1981. By 1983, 8,617 vehicles of all Kat 1 configurations
had been delivered to the West German armed forces. By the end of 1986, 411
examples had been delivered to the Austrian Army and 82 to the Belgian Army. This
complete range of Kat 1 vehicles, which was produced at MAN's Watenstedt plant,
was designed specifically for cross-country operations and to keep up with
mechanised forces operating across country.
All trucks of the series share a modular
design. They have a torsionally rigid box-section frame with highly mobile
axles linked to the frame via coil springs. The engine is mounted inside the
forward-control cab, which is separated into a driver and engine compartment by
a firewall. As a distinctive feature, the engine is located to the rear of the
driver compartment instead of beneath it. This way, the total height could be
kept below 2.9 m, which means the trucks can be transported on standard railway
flatcars. The characteristic, cut-away corners of the otherwise box-shaped cab
ensure compliance with the railway loading gauge. The cab of the first batch
does not tilt forward for maintenance because the vehicles were still based on
the amphibious prototypes. The tilting cab was only introduced with the second
batch in the mid-80s. The engine powers the front and rear axles via a torque
converter, semi-automatic transmission and a transfer case. In the first batch
KAT I, these components form a single, special unit. The later KAT I A1 seires
use cheaper mass-produced, standard truck components. At the same time, this
allowed to raise the number of gears from six to 16, and the theoretical top
speed from 90 to about 130 km/h. This in turn led to much lower engine speeds
at the usual top speed of 80 km/h, lowering fuel consumption. Vehicle voltage
is standard 24 Volts. The tow hitch is a standard NATO coupling suitable for
towing trailers even in difficult terrain, although they must be equipped with
the matching lunette ring.
For self defence, the vehicles hava a
swiveling machine gun mount for the Rheinmetall MG3.
For the extraterritorial deployment of the
Bundeswehr, some vehicles were fitted with an additional modular armour
(modulare Schutzausstattung, MSA) to increase crew protection. Some new 3rd
generation vehicles have the so-called vehicle protective equipment
(Fahrzeugschutzausstattung, FSA) which is part of the vehicle design and
factory-installed.
