The Casspir is a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle that has been in use in South Africa since the 1980s. It is a four-wheeled, four-wheel drive vehicle, used for transport of troops. It can hold a crew of two, plus 12 additional soldiers and associated equipment. The Casspir was unique in design when launched, providing for passive mine defence. The main armoured steel body of the vehicle is raised high above the ground, so when a mine is detonated, the explosion is less likely to damage the crew compartment and kill the occupants. The cross-section of the hull is V-shaped, directing the force of the explosion outwards, further protecting the occupants.
The vehicle also offers crew protection from small arms fire. The capabilities of the Casspir were the basis of the outline capabilities required by the U.S. Marines for their MRAP program.[1]
Design history
A Casspir at the South African Police Museum, Pretoria
It was at first extensively used by the infamous "Koevoet" police counterinsurgency unit in northern Namibia during the apartheid era and later also by the South-West Africa Territorial Force's 101 Battalion and the SA Army's 5 Reconnaissance Regiment. The chief criteria for the design was good off-road mobility, armour protection against small arms fire and anti-personnel mines, and ease and speed of repair by a light workshop crew in the field after detonating an anti-tank mine.[3] These requirements led to the distinctive V-shaped hull (for mine protection) and a wheeled chassis.
The Casspir was designed by the Defence Research Unit (DRU)[3] of CSIR specifically to protect vehicle occupants against landmines. It is certified to protect its occupants against a triple TM-57 mine blast (equivalent to 21 kg of TNT) under a wheel, or a double blast (14 kg of TNT) under the hull. The Casspir has a V-bottomed armoured monocoque hull, designed to deflect the force of an explosion outwards, to which a leaf-spring suspension is attached.[2]
Production history
After two years of field testing, the South African Police were eventually satisfied they had a good vehicle and in March 1980 placed an order for an initial 140 Casspirs. Some 190 Mk1 Casspirs were manufactured by Henred Fruehauf. In 1981 production was taken over by TFM, which improved the design to the Mk 2. TFM was subsequently taken over by Reumech OMC. Reumech in turn was taken over by Vickers Defence Systems of the UK and renamed Vickers OMC. When Alvis purchased Vickers Defence Systems to become Alvis Vickers, Vickers OMC became Alvis OMC. In 2004 BAE Systems acquired Alvis Vickers and Alvis OMC was renamed Land Systems OMC. Land Systems OMC was 75 per cent acquired by Denel in 2015.[4] An estimated 2800 Casspirs of all types have been built.[3] In 2018 the ADE 352 engines, gearboxes, shock absorbers, differentials and other parts are still being supplied by ADE (Atlantis Diesel Engineering) in South Africa as well as the later model Casspir NG2000.[citation needed]
The South African Police Service sold some of their surplus Casspirs to the public at a 2008 auction.[5] A new Casspir known as Casspir NG 2000 is being manufactured by Denel Mechem.[6][7] The vehicle was launched in April 2013.[3]
Plofadder Mine clearing System – carrier of the containerised Plofadder 160AT rocket-propelled mine clearing system
Riot Control vehicle – Police version with larger windows to increase visibility
Mechem LP (Low-Profile) and short-wheelbase vehicle
Casspir Dumpy – A shortened version (1 m shorter) developed and purchased by the SA Army in 1982 to be evaluated against the requirements for the Buffel replacement project. Did not enter production[3]
Sesspir – In 1984–85 the CSIR developed a prototype Casspir with six wheels. An additional non-driven axle was fitted in front of the front drive axle, this to be sacrificed in the event of a landmine detonation. It steered along with the regular driven front wheels and was equipped with winch cables to hoist either side of the axle clear off the ground in the event of the loss of a wheel. The theory being the vehicle would remain mobile. The idea was shelved as one of numerous problems was simply a lack of power from the engine to push the undriven axle along through bush and soft sand. Only one prototype was built.[3]
Casspir NG Series or Casspir 2000 is known as the new generation hence Casspir NG 2000. Available in various models 2000, 2000A; 2000B; 2000C and a possible D model, all to house various drive trains. The NG design allow a common hull to fit various drive trains and either manual or automatic drive. The latest in the NG series is a design that is based on a monocoque design and chassis cab design, specific in the support variants. The NG2000 Series currently offer the following variants.
Casspir NG Troop Carrier – specific Military application
Casspir NG Personnel Carrier – specific for Humanitarian purposes
Casspir NG Security/Police special variant
Casspir NG Wide Body Command and Control special variant
Casspir NG Wide Body Ambulance special variant
Casspir NG Wide Body Reconnaissance special variant
Casspir NG Wide Body Weapons Platform Carrier special variant- to be suitable for Indirect Mortar; Anti-Tank or Anti-Aircraft
Casspir NG Wide Body Cargo special variant
Casspir NG Wide Body Fuel Carrier special variant
Casspir NG Wide Body Water Carrier special variant
Casspir NG Wide Body Recovery Light special variant
Casspir NG Wide Body Recovery Heavy special variant (6x6) "Eland"
Casspir NG Wide Body Art Light Gun Tractor special variant (6x6)
Casspir NG Chassis Cab Cargo special variant (4x4 & 6x6) – "Likkewaan"
Casspir NG Chassis Cab Water Carrier special variant (4x4 & 6x6) – "Likkewaan"
Casspir NG Chassis Cab Fuel Carrier special variant (4x4 & 6x6) – "Likkewaan"
Casspir NG Chassis Cab Hooklift special variant (6x6) – "Likkewaan"
Casspir NG Chassis Cab Art Gun Tractor special variant (6x6) – "Likkewaan"
Casspir NG Chassis Cab Tipper Truck special variant (6x4 & 6x6) – "Likkewaan"
Casspir NG Chassis Cab Truck Tractor special variant (6x4 & 6x6) – "Likkewaan"
Casspir NG Chassis Cab Recovery special variant Light, Medium and Heavy (4x4, 6x6 & 8x8) – "Likkewaan"
Operators
Casspir operators, past and presentBurundi National Defence soldiers demonstrate squad movements with a Casspir during a mechanized infantry course
An embroidered Casspir armoured vehicle outside the Iziko Art Museum in Cape TownA London bus in 1989 carrying the "Boycott Apartheid" message. An image of a Casspir is crossed out symbolising the rejection of apartheid.
The Casspir has entered South African popular culture as an icon of apartheid-era state repression and is controversial for its continued deployment in South Africa for policing tasks.[22] A beadwork Casspir, with Ndebele designs, outside the Iziko South African National Gallery was installed as a representation of this iconography of the vehicle.[23] Created by interdisciplinary contemporary artist Ralph Ziman, the artwork is titled The Casspir Project.
A Casspir also forms part of the South Africa Apartheid Museum's exhibit on repression in the townships in the 1980s.[24]
Casspirs were extensively used by the human characters to enter into the alien settlement zone in the 2009 movie District 9.
A Casspir is seen in the music video for the song "Dirty Harry" by Gorillaz.[25]
^Independent Newspapers Online. "A chance to own a Casspir". Independent Online. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
^ abcd"Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
^ abcdeCamp, Steve; Heitman, Helmoed-Römer (November 2014). Surviving the Ride: A pictorial history of South African manufactured mine-protected vehicles. Pinetown: 30 Degrees South. p. 240. ISBN978-1928211-17-4.
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