Denel Casspir

The Story of Denel Casspir

South Africa's Denel is involved in many products related to the modern battlefield and is now (2017) a well-known player in the world defense industry. One of its main products is the "Cassipir", which evolved from a long line of mine-protected, ambush-resistant (MRAP) vehicles that debuted in combat in the 1970s.

This vehicle type originated as a dedicated system with high survivability in the Rhodesian army and was then further developed by several companies in South Africa. Today, MRAP is a relatively new component of the ground campaign, providing inherent crew survivability and multi-mission thinking in the design.

All of the top militaries in the world are said to employ some form of MRAP vehicle, including the US, Russia, UK and France.

One of the main selling points of the Casspir is its multitasking approach, allowing it to be configured into various battlefield roles with relative ease. These include armoured personnel carriers (APCs), battlefield ambulances, general transport vehicles, minesweepers, riot vehicles, fire support vehicles and artillery observation posts.

For those units that don't need the heavy armor protection of large-caliber weapons and are most likely to engage in mobile guerrilla-style combat, the Casspir fits all the bills.

In March 1980, the South African Police received an initial series order for 140 vehicles, with the initial build being carried out by Henred Fruehauf until TFM was commissioned in 1981. Around this time, the series was developed beyond the original Mk. 1 Production model to newer Mk. 2. Then came the Mk.

2C(I), while the Mk. 3 introduced the ADE-352T 60-cylinder turbo diesel engine to the production line. The Casspir 2000 originated from the Casspir vehicle based on the Mercedes Benz frame, and similarly, the Casspir 2000B appeared on the Powerstar North Benz frame.

The Casspir NG 2000 is the modern incarnation of the series that appeared in 2013. Today, the trucks are produced under the Denel banner after acquiring a 3/4 stake in BAe Systems Land Systems OMC (formerly Alvis Vickers / Alvis OMC) in 2015.

The Casspir series claims operators from Angola and Benin to Uganda and the United States. South Africa is clearly the main operator of the line, with around 370 currently (2017) in operation. This type is used in police and military roles, as well as in support of special forces and border patrol.

It was the Casspir design that influenced the current generation of MRAP vehicles in the U.S. military as it found itself in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

Depends on weapon.

Changes