Defence Business: Three pointed star shines in the south | ADM August 2011

Julian Kerr | Anglesea

One week after the Hawkei  experience,  Mercedes Benz  Australia/Pacific took the opportunity at the same Anglesea test ground to show off its two contenders for the medium and heavy elements of Phase 3. The company also displayed the first production 6x6 G-Wagon built to ADF specifications. 

Fortuitously, Mercedes won a second chance at the medium/heavy segment when the preferred tenderer status awarded to BAE Systems/Stewart and Stevenson in October 2007 was withdrawn in October 2008 and the tender refresh saw Mercedes placed in competition with MAN and Thales (which bid for the medium segment only).

Although Defence evaluation has been completed and the long-awaited announcement of the winning vehicles is now expected sooner rather than later, Mercedes was keen to demonstrate the capabilities of its Zetros and Actros range to defence and motoring journalists, the latter more accustomed to assessing the merits of the latest cars.

Anglesea after heavy rain is an ideal location for testing military vehicles, including as it does a range of road types, steep and slippery inclines, daunting obstacles, clay-bottomed fords more than a metre deep, and mud resembling that on the Western Front.

The 4x4 all-wheel drive demonstration Zetros competing in the medium category was the only right-hand drive example of the type in Australia. Featuring a 7.2 litre in-line six cylinder engine, a six-speed automatic transmission and a military payload of 4,000kg, the Zetros was unfazed by the conditions while its conventional design, long travel suspension, in-cabin adjustable tyre inflation system and air-ride seats provided a surprisingly comfortable ride.

While the demonstration vehicle was fitted with a two-seat protected cab, the Australian requirement for both the medium and heavy categories is for a mix of unprotected and protected cabs. The Zetros protected version offers ballistic and blast solutions from STANAG Level 2/2b up to Level 3/3b (7.62 armour piercing round at 30 metres or anti-tank mine) and can be exchanged with its unprotected counterpart in eight hours by two trained soldiers in the field, albeit with brief access to a crane, and so long as the vehicle concerned is fitted with a nine tonne rather than a 7.5 tonne axle.

The armoured logistics version of the 38.5 tonne, 8x8 Actros as demonstrated at Anglesea has been in service with Canadian forces in Afghanistan since 2008 without a single fatality, and its heavy recovery variant will shortly be deployed there by German troops. 

Climbing up the three steps into the above-axle cab is an unusual experience – the massive armoured doors each weigh 250kg and are opened and closed electrically by pressing a rubber-coated button. Overall cab protection meets STANAG 4/4b ballistic and blast requirements – capable of withstanding a 14.4mm armour piercing round at 200 metres or a 10kg anti-tank mine or IED detonating under the vehicle’s centre.

The 15.9 litre V8 engine develops 503 hp and is coupled with a 16 speed synchromesh gearbox with a two speed transfer case – in essence providing a total of 32 gears to transport a payload of up to 15,000kg.

The four-axle chassis and high profile tyres smoothed out all but the worst bumps but even 32 gears proved incapable, to the embarrassment of Mercedes Benz executives, of freeing the huge  vehicle from one particular quagmire. This was eventually accomplished utilising the Zetros and its heavy-duty self-recovery winch. 

Remaining pristine among the mud was the 6x6 G-wagon, the first of its variant produced as part of the $350 million ADF contract for 1,200 G-Wagons signed with Mercedes Benz  in October 2008.

Manufactured at Graz in Austria, the 6x6 had arrived in Australia two days earlier, had its Varley-designed and produced cargo module fitted, and was then driven to Anglesea. As ADF property it was there to be admired but not driven, when its speed is electronically limited to 120 kph.

According to Mercedes Benz MD Hans Tempel, 130 G-Wagon 4x4 station wagons had been delivered to Defence by late June, with production continuing over the next three years. The 6x6 variant had not been part of Army’s requirements but was accepted after being included in the Mercedes Benz tender as a suggestion.

Maximum payload is 2,250kg plus two troops and military equipment – less than half that of the station wagon although at 6,500kg it is 1,000kg heavier. The cargo module is interchangeable with a range of other modules (including ambulance and personnel) and is fitted with a range of different tie-down provisions to allow a wide range of cargo to be secured.

An undisclosed number of 6x6 G-Wagons will be converted to specialised surveillance and reconnaissance variants destined for Norforce.

Australian G-Wagons are being prefitted during manufacture to allow the addition of an optional armour kit, a number of which are understood to have been purchased by the ADF.

An alternative to this, shortly to be marketed internationally by Mercedes Benz, is a cab exchange scheme which would provide armoured protection to about STANAG 2 – capable against 7.62mm armour-piercing ammunition at 30 metres and a 6kg mine exploding under the vehicle.

Customers would buy a limited number of the German-manufactured armoured cabs and use them to replace the standard unprotected cab as required, a task primarily involving swapping the cabs, changing over electronic control units, and refilling the engine cooling and air conditioning systems.

Subject: Land