Gengriz The Dark Side

NATO & Allies: Armoured

Cars & Patrol Vehicles

KMV Dingo Protected Patrol Vehicle

FPI Cougar HEV MRAP

IVECO / Oto Melara B1 Centauro

Thales Bushmaster PMV

Krauss-Maffei Wegman (KMW) ATF Dingo 1 MRAP

German Army, Afghanistan 2005 (Revell 1/72)

The Dingo is an armoured mine-protected vehicle based on the commercial Unimog chassis and introduced in 2000. A modular V- shaped hull, protected passenger cell with mine resistant seating and separate engine compartments provide good protection against roadside IUDs, whilst layered MEXAS armour provides protection against shrapnel and light weapons fire. A remotely controlled weapons station, mounting a 7.62mm machine gun, 12.7mm heavy machine gun or 40mm grenade launcher can be fired from within the closed down air-conditioned and NBC protected vehicle. Dingos have seen service in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq.

FPI Cougar HEV MRAP, USMC, Afghanistan, 2012

(4D Models 1/72).

Manufactured by Force Protection Industries, the Cougar Heavy Engineering Vehicle was deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan by the USM, US Army and USAF as well as several other NATO nations, alongside UK specific versions (Mastiff & Ridgeback). Developed as part of the USMC MRAP programme their heavy armour and v-shaped hulls provide excellent protection against mines and IEDs in urban and asymmetric warfare environments..

IVECO/OTO Melara B1 Centauro, Italian Army, 2019

(Unbranded Die-cast 1/72).

Manufactured by a consortium of Fiat/IVECO and OTO Mealara, the B1 Centauro is intended to provide the firepower of a Leopard 1, but with much improved mobility. Capable of up to 67mph and able to fire whilst on the move, with a 500 mile range, it was designed for territorial defence and armed reconnaissance. Production of the initial version ended in 2006, but an improved up- armoured and up-armed variant is now entering service. The Centauro is currently in service with Italy, Spain, Jordan and Oman.

Thales Bushmaster PMV (Australian Variant)

(Dragon 1/72) This is one of several Bushmaster kits released by Dragon in 2020. The Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle was conceived in the early 1990s for operations in the Australian Northern Territories. Based on a Australian Perry Engineering design, itself derived from an Irish design by Timoney Technologies, it featured 4WD, parts commonality with the US FMTV vehicle series and a high level of protection for its occupants against small arms fire and mines. Able to carry 9 troops and supplies for up to 3 days, it is fully air- conditioned with a range of over 800 km at up to 100 km/h. It is also air-transportable by C-130. Over 800 vehicles have been built, seeing active combat service in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria. Bushmasters are used in various roles by the Australian forces (Army & Air Force), British Army and Royal Netherlands Army, as well as Fiji, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan and New Zealand. A large number have been supplied to Ukraine, where they have seen extensive combat use. Return to Dark Side AFVs index page Return to Gengriz Modelling Index Page

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