Breaking news
Denel Mechem South Africa develops short version of Casspir APC under the name of Casspir-S 12403162.
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Defence & Security Industry News - Denel Mechem
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| Denel Mechem South Africa develops short version of Casspir APC under the name of Casspir-S | |||
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According the website DefenceWeb, Denel Mechem is busy developing a smaller version of its Casspir armoured personnel carrier in response to market demand, with the new variant aimed at urban operations.
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 The Casspir-S short variant of the standard Casspir 4x4 APC. |
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Jack Geldenhuys, Senior Manager MPV and Ancillary at Denel Mechem, told defenceWeb that his company had been exploring the possibility of producing a lighter, more compact version of the Casspir for the last five years, but only began development around three years ago.
A short Casspir, based on the old models and known as Casspir Short, was produced for demining, and this was identified as having potential for use in urban areas, as the standard Casspir can be cumbersome in tight built up spaces – the United States, for example, found that its mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles were sometimes too large and heavy for narrow roads and bridges in Afghanistan. Geldenhuys said that feedback from peacekeeping force commanders was that the Casspir is very good except it struggles in narrow spaces like alleyways. The Casspir-S (S for Short version) will have seats for six to eight military personnel with passengers facing outwards instead of inwards. The compact Casspir will share the same drivetrain as the Casspir NG series, as well as standard B6+ ballistic protection, although this can be upgraded to B7 by applying a specially designed add-on armour kit. It will be able to use a variety of drivetrains, such as Mercedes or Powerstar. |
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