German armored vehicles ATF Dingo for Ukraine
ATF Dingo of the ground forces of the Bundeswehr
In the order of military-technical assistance, Germany is transferring various armored vehicles to Ukraine. So, the latest packages included fifty multi-purpose ATF Dingo vehicles. Ukrainian formations have already mastered such equipment, and its deliveries have already been completed or are nearing completion. It is assumed that German armored cars will cover part of the needs of the recipient, but other results cannot be expected.
Used armored cars
The possibility of sending armored vehicles from the presence of the Bundeswehr to Ukraine has been discussed almost since the spring, but real measures of this kind were taken only recently. In mid-September, the German Ministry of Defense officially announced its intention to transfer 50 Dingo multi-purpose armored vehicles to the Kyiv regime. It was noted that the decommissioning of such a quantity of equipment would not have a negative impact on the state of the German army.
Until the end of September, the Bundeswehr was supposed to start training Ukrainian crews. It was also necessary to find the required amount of equipment and prepare it for shipment. At the same time, the exact dates for the transfer of armored cars were not called - mainly because of secrecy.
In early October, it became known that the Ukrainian military was being trained at the Wildflecken training center (Bavaria). New technology masters 100 people. - one driver and commander-gunner for each armored car. Over the next few weeks, they were supposed to complete their training and return to Ukraine along with new foreign equipment.
Armored cars were divided into several batches. So, the first 30 cars came to Ukraine in October-November. For the first time, such equipment was seen in the Ukrainian troops on November 21, during the festive events on the occasion of the day of the airborne assault troops. Several German armored cars were shown along with other equipment of this type of troops.
The German Ministry of Defense regularly publishes up-to-date information on military-technical assistance for Ukraine. According to the latest data released on December 7, the remaining 20 Dingo armored vehicles were recently handed over to the Kyiv regime. Thus, the delivery of fifty cars is completed. Whether Germany will allocate new armored vehicles has not yet been reported.
It is known that imported vehicles have already ended up in Ukrainian formations and, at a minimum, they are preparing to work in the combat zone. The destruction of such equipment has not yet been reported. Nevertheless, it is obvious that attempts to use it will be accompanied by losses. At the same time, due to a sufficiently large number of Dingos, they will regularly get into reports.
protected vehicle
The future Dingo armored car was developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann in the first half of the nineties by order of the Bundeswehr. The army wanted to get a protected vehicle for transporting people or goods, as well as a platform for placing weapons or special equipment. The main requirements for the future armored car were reflected in the official designation Allschutz-Transport-Fahrzeug (ATF).
The first prototypes of the new armored car were tested in 1995. Over the next few years, KMW worked out and improved the design, and also prepared production. In 2000, the Dingo armored car was adopted by the Bundeswehr, and at the same time, deliveries of serial vehicles began. Over the next few years, approx. 150 of these armored cars.
Having completed work on the first version of Dingo, the development company took up the modernization project. Updated Dingo 2 armored car in 2003-2004 passed the necessary tests, and soon got into the troops. In production, it replaced its predecessor. This time, larger orders came in; in total, several hundred Dingo-2s were assembled.
The main customer of the armored cars of the Dingo series were the German armed forces and law enforcement agencies. For them, armored vehicles were built in the original transport configuration, as well as command and staff vehicles, reconnaissance vehicles, ambulances, radar carriers and communications equipment, etc. Eight more foreign countries bought equipment of individual modifications or received it from Germany in order to help.
According to The Military Balance 2022, until recently, there were less than 250 Dingo 2 armored vehicles in the Bundeswehr units. More than 200 vehicles of this type were registered with the Joint Support Forces. It is also known that the Federal Police has at least 120-150 armored cars. As a result of decisions on assistance to Ukraine, the fleet of the armed forces will be reduced by 50 units.
Technical features
The armored car ATF Dingo is a two-axle all-wheel drive protected vehicle capable of transporting people or operating as a platform for special equipment. The length of the vehicle, depending on the modification, is 5,4 or 6,1 m. The combat weight is from 8,8 to 12 tons.
To simplify production, armored cars were made on finished chassis. So, the first version of the Dingo was based on the chassis of the Unimog S5000 truck, and the upgraded one was built on the more advanced Unimog U5000. Such chassis are equipped with 215-235 hp diesel engines. and transmission with the issuance of power to all wheels. A maximum speed of more than 90 km / h is provided with a cruising range of at least 1000 km.
Both variants of the Dingo have a welded armored bonneted hull with a protected cockpit and a partially armored cargo platform in the stern. The armor corresponds to class 3 of the NATO standard - the case protects against 7,62-mm rifle bullets or undermining 8 kg of TNT.
In the basic configuration of the vehicle, the Dingo is equipped with a remote-controlled turret with a normal caliber machine gun. It is possible to mount a heavy machine gun, grenade launcher or missile system. Some of the German armored vehicles have been upgraded and received more modern remote-controlled combat modules.
The crew of the armored car includes two people, a driver and a commander. The cabin also accommodates four paratroopers. Access to the inside of the machine is provided by side doors. In the cockpit and on the aft platform, the Dingo can carry a total of up to 3-4 tons of payload.
Typical target
In general, the German Dingo 1/2 armored car is a typical representative of its class and has all the characteristic features of such equipment created in recent decades. It is capable of transporting people and cargo, protects them from some threats and can support them with fire. In addition, the Bundeswehr actively used the potential of the car as a platform.
It is obvious that the Ukrainian formations will use the received Dingos as armored personnel carriers and use them directly on the front line. The vehicles will have to transport and accompany the infantry, protect it and support it with machine-gun fire. Such an application is associated with known risks, and in general does not bode well for armored cars.
"Dingo" of both modifications are protected only from rifle bullets and shrapnel. Large-caliber rifle weapon or small-caliber artillery are capable of penetrating existing armor and damaging vital units, as well as causing damage to the crew. The situation is similar with the shelling from anti-tank systems. The armored car has mine protection and is able to save the crew in case of explosion, but at the same time it receives fatal damage.
Thus, practically any meeting of Ukrainian Dingos with Russian armored vehicles on the battlefield will have a predictable result. The machine guns and cannons of our armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, not to mention more powerful systems, will be able to disable or destroy enemy armored vehicles without much difficulty. Accordingly, the enemy infantry will be left without cover and support.
It should also be taken into account that enemy armored vehicles are detected and knocked out not only on the front line, but also in the rear. A certain number of "Dingos" will add to the list of enemy armored vehicles destroyed by rocket and artillery strikes in parking lots, on the march, etc.
Destroying all 50 delivered Dingo ATFs actually becomes a matter of time. The speed and duration of this process depends on the intensity of Ukrainian counter-offensive attempts and on the work of our intelligence to identify targets in the rear. But the overall result is quite clear.
familiar script
Thus, once again a long-familiar scenario is observed. Germany is providing the Kyiv regime with a limited amount of military equipment, which will not be enough to make up for losses and increase combat capability. Even now it is not difficult to determine the potential of such assistance and to imagine the prospects for the supplied machines.
It should be noted that this time the Bundeswehr did not provide Ukraine with outdated equipment, but a completely modern model that generally meets current requirements. However, relative novelty in itself is not able to outweigh the existing negative factors and risks. It will not change the overall situation, and the future of the delivered armored cars remains unenviable.
- Ryabov Kirill
- Ministry of Defense of Germany
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