This article is about the German infantry mobility vehicle. For the British reconnaissance vehicle, see
Daimler Dingo. For the Australian armoured car, see
Dingo (scout car).
The ATF Dingo is a German heavily armored military MRAP[3] infantry mobility vehicle based on a Unimog chassis with a V-hull design, produced by the company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW). The first prototype of the Dingo 1 was completed in 1995 and the first production Dingo 1 entered service in 2000 with the German Army.[4] It is designed to withstand land mines, rifle fire, artillery fragments and NBC-threats. ATF stands for Allschutz-Transport-Fahrzeug, meaning all-protected transport vehicle in German. It is named after the Australian native dog, the dingo. The Dingo 2 entered service in late 2004 after undergoing trials from November 2003-May 2004.[5] Currently[when?] KMW is developing the Dingo 2 GFF for the German Army with increased internal volume.
Textron signed an exclusive deal to produce and market KMW's Dingo in the United States.[6][7] However, Textron chose its own more expensive and heavier M1117 Armored Security Vehicle for the MRAP competition, which did not receive a contract.[8]
The ATF Dingo has a modular design with five elements: chassis, protection cell, storage space, engine compartment, and bottom mine blast deflector. Its design is lighter and includes an armored chassis with a blast pan instead of the more common monocoque hull found in modern blast resistant vehicles. IBD's layered MEXAS is used and the windows are angled to deflect blasts and bullets. A tarpaulin is used over the back storage area instead of metal to save weight.
The Dingo's standard armament is a Rheinmetall MG3 7.62 mm machine gun in a remote-controlled turret on the top of the vehicle, borrowed from KMW's Fennek. The operator sits safely inside the cabin, controlling the weapon with an electro-optical sight with night vision capability.
In 2008 the Bundeswehr ordered several hundred fully remote-controlled weapons stations from KMW, for its Dingos and other armored vehicles: the light FLW 100 (for the MG3 or the Heckler & Koch MG4), and the heavy FLW 200 (for the M3M .50 BMG or the HK GMG automatic grenade launcher). The weapons station is controlled by an operator viewing a monitor inside the vehicle.
The ATF Dingo 2 is an advanced version of the Dingo, based on the upgraded Unimog U 5000 chassis with improved protection and more payload. It is offered in two versions, a 3,250 mm wheelbase version (3.5 tonnes payload) and a 3,850 mm wheelbase version (4 tonnes payload) . The Dingo 2 can seat eight personnel.
Map of ATF Dingo operators
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Three
German Army ATF Dingos in Afghanistan.
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ATF Dingo 1 of the German Army deployed in
Kosovo.
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German Army Dingo 1's rear View.
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German Dingo 2 with ground surveillance radar (BÜR)
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Austrian Dingo 2 NC
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Czech Dingo 2 A2
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Prototype Dingo (Dingo WTS)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
ATF Dingo.