CASSPIR

The 'Casspir' is a landmine-protected personnel carrier (APC) that has been in use in South Africa for over 20 years. It is a four wheeled armoured vehicle, used for transport of troops. It can hold a crew of two, plus 12 additional soldiers and associated gear. The Casspir was unique in design when launched, providing for passive mine defence. The main body of the vehicle is raised above the ground, so that if 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 is also armoured for added mine safety, as well as protection from small arms fire. The Casspir was the inspiration and prototype for the US Marines MRAP project.
The Casspir was ubiquitous during the days of apartheid in South Africa. It was commonly used in the townships for crowd and riot control.

Contents

Production history

Variants

Operators

Combat History

See also

Production history

Designed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), some 2500 Casspir series APC's were originally built by TFM of South Africa, which 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.
In 1998, two Casspir mine-protected vehicles (MPVs) underwent extensive mobility and ballistic evaluation in India over two months, covering over 9000 km. As part of this evaluation, one of the vehicles was put through four blast tests, involving one anti-tank mine and three improvised devices of the type typically encountered during operations in Jammu & Kashmir. The Casspir MPV was then repaired and driven back to the evaluation centre.
In August 1998, India purchased 90 'reconditioned' Casspirs for the Army and Para-Military forces in Jammu & Kashmir.
In April 1999, the Army acquired a further 90 Casspir MPVs and an additional 75 were delivered in 2001.

Variants

Each variant comes in different versions: APC (armoured personnel carrier), FISTV (Fire Support Team vehicle), Utility vehicle (a wide range of weapons can be mounted on platform), Recovery vehicle (15 ton capacity), Riot Control vehicle and Water Tanker (5000 litres)

★ Casspir Mk 1

★ Casspir Mk 2

★ Casspir Mk 2C (I)

★ Casspir Mk 3 - 170 hp (127 kW) ADE-352T 6 cylinder turbo-diesel

★ Buffalo - Casspir based 6 wheeled version built in the US

Operators

★ Djibouti - 9 (refurbished SANDF units)

★ India - 255 (refurbished SANDF units)

★ Indonesia

★ Namibia

★ Peru

★ South Africa

★ United States

Combat History

★ Angola

★ Namibia

★ Mozambique

★ Croatia - de-mining

★ Afghanistan - Bagram Air Base - de-mining 2003

★ Iraq

See also

★ Infantry fighting vehicle

★ MRAP (armored vehicle)

★ List of AFVs

★ RG-31

★ Buffalo (mine protected vehicle)

★ Casspir on Army Guide