An article published by the German newspaper, "Bild", on June 2, 2023, revealed that the 66 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) vehicles, set to be provided by Germany to Ukraine, will not be Fuchs APCs, but rather BATT UMGs. These are designed and developed by the American company "The Armored Group".
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The BATT UMG is an MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) type vehicle designed and developed by the American company the Armored Group(Picture source Army Recognition)
The BATT UMG APC vehicles will be assembled by FFG, a Flensburg-based German company, as per the information released by Bild.
A representative from the German Government clarified that these vehicles are dubbed as 'FFG Armored Personnel Carrier (FFG APC)'. As part of their contractual obligation, the German company FFG will gear up the 66 agreed-upon vehicles domestically. The new, highly versatile all-terrain vehicles will serve the Ukrainian armed forces as safeguarded infantry combat vehicles, mainly for battalion-level troop transportation.
The BATT UMG has already been adopted by the Ukrainian armed forces. On December 20, 2022, a video published on social media platforms depicted Ukrainian troops operating the BATT UMG in the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, according to a report by the Army Recognition editorial team.
A mine-protected variant of the BATT APC, the BATT UMG ensures high blast protection of up to STANAG 4569 Level II a and b in the small APC-size classification. It boasts an in-house custom axle design, providing an additional 6,000 lbs of payload capacity. This indicates the BATT's capacity to bear the weight of the extra armoring.
Regularly fitted with military-grade surveillance and communications systems, the BATT UMG is ready for missions. It serves a broad range of purposes, predominantly in industries like special forces, law enforcement, homeland security, border patrol, and various armed conflicts. It can also be customized for roles like troop transportation, command and control center, VIP transportation, and armored medical center.
The BATT UMG is crafted on a readily available civilian platform, which is then upgraded to meet TAG’s stringent conflict zone survivability standards. It is powered by a V8 diesel turbocharged engine, connected to a 6-speed automatic transmission, and is based on a Ford F550. This Ford foundation provides the BATT UMG access to one of the world's largest OEM international parts distribution networks, facilitating repairs even in the remotest parts of the world.
Sharing similar advantages with the BATT-X APC, the BATT UMG has an entirely accessible engine bay and power pack, which can be removed and replaced within a span of 10 hours. TAG liaises with major OEM automotive manufacturers from its 140,000 sq ft technology center in Detroit Motor City to ensure that all modifications and upgrades meet the manufacturers' strict guidelines. This has allowed TAG to collaborate directly with Ford to carry out a complete RHD steering conversion using Ford OEM parts, which is essential for the 75 countries requiring it.
