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, it is considered to have been the father of the MRAP vehicle concept being the first of its kind.

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.

Design history

thumb|left|A Casspir at the South African Police Museum, [[Pretoria]]

The name 'Casspir' is an anagram of the abbreviations of the customer, the South African Police, and the design authority, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR – Applied Chemistry Unit that later became MECHEM). Although the Casspir was deployed in townships during the apartheid era, it was initially designed specifically for conditions encountered in the South African Border War.

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. 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) An estimated 2800 Casspirs of all types have been built. A new Casspir known as Casspir NG 2000 is being manufactured by Denel Mechem. The vehicle was launched in April 2013.

  • Artillery Fire Control vehicle
  • Ambulance
  • Blesbok Freighter – with drop side cargo area for up to 5 tons (160 built). Can be used as a weapon platform.
  • Duiker Tanker – 5000 litre tank (30 built); originally with 3000 litre tank
  • : 10
  • : 10
  • : 3
  • : 4
  • : 200+ used by Indian Army and other paramilitary forces
  • : 2 Casspir. Used by Kopassus
  • : 15
  • : 9
  • : 370 in South African Army service.
  • : 5 A beadwork Casspir, with Ndebele designs, outside the Iziko South African National Gallery was installed as a representation of this iconography of the vehicle. Created by interdisciplinary contemporary artist Ralph Ziman, the artwork is titled SPOEK 1.

A Casspir also forms part of the South Africa Apartheid Museum's exhibit on repression in the townships in the 1980s.

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.

See also

  • Buffalo (mine protected vehicle), a 6x6 originally built by Force Protection Inc
  • Cougar (MRAP), a 4x4 originally built by Force Protection Inc
  • Buffel, an early South African mine protected vehicle
  • Wer'wolf MKII, a 4x4 Namibian Mine Protected Vehicle
  • Oshkosh M-ATV, current generation lighter weight mine protected vehicle manufactured by Oshkosh Corporation
  • Mahindra Mine Protected Vehicle, design inspired by the Casspir
  • Gila APC

References

  • Casspir webpage
  • Video; Mechem – Vehicle Business inc. Casspir
  • Video; Mechem – Casspir
  • Video; N4Trucks – Casspir
  • Video; Casspir MkIV
  • Video; Casspir MkIV launch at AAD 2010