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Rheinmetall Landsysteme TM-170

1979 ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIER COLD WAR MODERN

History

The Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG utility truck (detailed elsewhere on this page) has proven itself over the decades and models are available worldwide. Its reliability and maintainability made it a solid basis for offshoot designs such as the TM-170 - the German-focused Thyssen-Henschel (now part of Rheinmetall Landsysteme).

The design of the vehicle was a private project initiated by a West German company, production of this armored personnel carrier (APC) began in 1979, and despite its Cold War origins, the vehicle can still be ordered today (2016). It serves police, security and military around the world and has been adopted by Germany/West Germany, Austria, Indonesia, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Spain and South Korea.

The TM-170 uses the proven UNIMOG chassis and relies on a full suspension 4x4 wheel arrangement. The arrangement features large wheels and provides a large clearance from the ground to the bottom of the hull. This, combined with the 4x4 configuration, allows for good off-road mobility. The standard operator consists of two people (driver and vehicle commander), and the cabin seats can accommodate up to 10 additional occupants. Armor protection is approximately 8mm steel (good resistance to small arms fire and artillery jets), and weapons are optional - left to the customer's requirements and intended role on the battlefield.

A typical installation is a 7.62mm machine gun with a turret and a 20mm automatic cannon. Night vision and NBC protection (nuclear, biological, chemical) are optional equipment.

The Daimler-Benz OM366 supercharged diesel engine delivers 240 hp and achieves a road speed of 100 km/h in ideal conditions. The range is 870 km as far as possible. The vehicle is also equipped with amphibious capability to traverse water sources (either by spinning wheels or mounted water jets) at a useful speed of 9 km/h.

Amphibious operations require some crew preparation.

Macedonia's TM-170 vehicles have since been locally upgraded with additional armor protection and the large-caliber guns of the T-55 Main Battle Tank (MBT).

The TM-170 "Hardliner" is an improved version of the base vehicle TM-170.

Specification

Basic

Year:

1979

Staff:

Manufacturing:

Thyssen-Henschel (Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH) - West Germany/Germany

Production:

500 units

Roles

- Amphibious

- Reconnaissance (RECCE)

- Troop Transport

- Utilities

- Support/Special Purpose

Dimensions

Length:

20.18 ft (6.15 m)

Width:

2.45m

Height:

7.61 ft (2.32 m)

Weight:

11 tons (10,000 kg; 22,046 lb)

Performance

1 x Diamler-Benz OM366 supercharged diesel engine with 240 hp at 1,400 rpm.

Performance

Maximum Speed:

100 km/h

Maximum range:

541 miles (870 km)

Armor

Optional and adapt to operator requirements. When armed, typical installations include a turret-mounted 7.62mm machine gun and an automatic cannon up to 20mm.