Today, Defense Minister Mario Kunasek handed over the first 50 of a total of 140 driving school trucks to the troops during a military ceremony at the Vega-Payer-Weyprecht barracks.
These all-terrain trucks with swap bodies are used for driving school training for driving license category C on the one hand and for transport tasks of all kinds on the other – even off-road. The truck is equipped with infrared headlights and rear lights, which enables driving training with night vision devices. With the handover of this first tranche, some of the outdated 12M18 driving school trucks will be replaced. “With this investment, we are ensuring that the troops will be equipped with modern trucks to fulfill their mission in the future. These state-of-the-art vehicles will enable the soldiers to be able to act in the event of disasters and provide rapid assistance to the population. At the same time, we are ensuring that, in addition to general driver training, training can also be provided for movements on the modern battlefield, such as driving with night vision devices,” said Minister Kunasek.
By mid-2019, a total of 140 MAN 14.280 trucks will be handed over to the soldiers; 90 of them without driving school equipment, but identical in design. All vehicles are suitable as a carrier system for all interchangeable bodies introduced and can be used for all tasks in this weight class. The payload is 5,000 kilograms. At the same time, a total of six people can be transported in the driver’s cab. The total investment amounts to around 37 million euros. In order to meet the requirements of the Class C driver’s license, an additional weight is mounted on the 5t truck and the rear tail lift is folded down. This gives the truck a length of over eight meters and a weight of 10,110 kilograms.
Every year, around 6,000 learner drivers are trained by army driving instructors in a wide variety of vehicle classes. The majority of these are recruits. Particular importance is attached to practical driving training, especially as the learner drivers are also allowed to transport people on the loading area as part of team transport. In contrast to civilian driving school training, learner drivers also learn to control their vehicles in difficult terrain, in all weathers and at any time of day or night. The army’s intensive driving training is of a high standard, which is also reflected in the relatively low accident figures.
Here for further reports on Rheinmetall Defence (international) and here for further reports on Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV).
