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ATF Dingo
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 KNDS Deutschland (formerly 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?] KNDS Deutschland 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 (since April 8, 2024 KNDS Deutschland) 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] DesignThe 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 KNDS Deutschland'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. Operational useIn September 2022, Germany announced that it would provide 50 ATF Dingos to Ukraine to use in the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine.[9] During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as of 3 September 2024: 7 units were destroyed and 1 was damaged.[10] Operators Current operators
Gallery
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to ATF Dingo. References
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