The Wer'wolf MK2 is a Namibian designed and built military vehicle that offers protection against small arms fire and land mines. The vehicle uses a

MAN A man is an adult male human. Prior to adulthood, a male human is referred to as a boy (a male child or adolescent). Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromos ...

chassis, axles and engine. The Wer'Wolf MK2 is a modular vehicle. It is built with a crew compartment that seats three people plus a driver and a rear flatbed configuration. The flat bed configuration allows for different modules to be fitted. It is suited for rough terrain, in APC configuration the Wer'Wolf MK2 can carry up to 10 passengers plus the driver. Designed and built in 1998 it was the first Mine Protected Vehicle manufactured by

Windhoeker Maschinenfabrik Windhoeker Maschinenfabrik (WMF) is a Namibian defense contractor located in Windhoek, Namibia and operated by the Namibian Defence Force. WMF designs and manufactures monocoque V-hull armoured combat vehicles. WMF is responsible for the armoured ...

after it was bought by

Government of Namibia The government of Namibia consists of the executive, the legislative and the judiciary branches. The Cabinet is the executive organ of government, implementing the laws of the country. It consists of the president, the prime minister and his dep ...

.http://www.wmf.com.na/files/india_trial_report.pdf

Design

The Wer'wolf MK2 was developed by

, a subsidiary of

August 26 Holdings August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian calendar, Julian and Gregorian calendars, and the fifth of seven months to have a length of 31 days. Its zodiac sign is Leo (astrology), Leo and was originally named ''Sextilis'' in Latin ...

which in turn is wholly owned by the

. The vehicle utilizes a MAN Truck & Bus AG chassis, axle and engine and is built for the African operating environment. The modular design of the vehicle allows for the rear flatbed to be interchangeable with different mounts such as a personnel compartment, a

ZU-23-2 The ZU-23-2, also known as ZU-23, is a Soviet towed 23×152mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon. ZU stands for ''Zenitnaya Ustanovka'' (Russian: Зенитная Установка) – anti-aircraft mount. The GRAU index is 2A13. Developm ...

gun mount amongst others. As with other typical Southern African mine protected vehicles of its era it also has monocoque Cavalry designed to deflect a mine blast away from the occupants or cargo. The Wer'wolf MK2 is in service with the

Namibia Defence Force The Namibian Defence Force (NDF) comprises the national military forces of Namibia. It was created when the country, then known as South West Africa, gained independence from South Africa in 1990. Chapter 15 of the Constitution of Namibia establ ...

(NDF). The Wer'wolf MK2 is in length, in width, and has a height of . The four-wheeled vehicle can carry up to 10 passengers in APC configuration, plus driver. The crew compartment has two roof hatches which allow a gunner to use the weapon mount. The passenger APC compartment has an additional three hatches. Two doors in the rear of the vehicle provide access for the passengers and crew.

Capabilities

The Wer'wolf MK2 features ballistic protection that can withstand impacts of up to 7.62×51mm NATO rounds. The Wer'wolf MK2 also provides protection against triple anti tank mines of up to under any wheel and can also withstand a double anti tank mine explosion under the hull. By adding an additional plate in the hull the vehicle can be protected against

Explosively formed penetrator An explosively formed penetrator (EFP), also known as an explosively formed projectile (EFP), a self-forging warhead, or a self-forging fragment, is the product of a shaped charge designed to penetrate armor effectively. As the name suggests, the ...

mines i.e.

TMRP-6 The TMRP-6 (Serbo-Croatian, Croatian, Bosnian : ''Protivtenkovska Mina Razorno Probojna -6'', Cyrillic script : ''Противтенковска Мина Разорно Пробојна -6'' ) is a former Yugoslavian anti tank EFP mine. Histo ...

. It has

four-wheel drive Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...

capability, and can achieve a top speed of . The Wer'wolf MK2 provides side protection from IED explosion of 14 kg of

TNT Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...

from a stand-off distance of 3 m.

Variants

Apart from the primary APC role, the vehicle was designed for use in other roles including: * Ambulancehttp://www.specops.pl/vortal/technika/wachowski/minoodporne_kto/Werwolf%20MK%20II.jpg * Anti aircraft artillery role * Infantry fighting vehicle – an APC configuration armed with a 2A28 Grom 73mm gun * VIP transport * Freight logistics vehicle * Multiple rocket launcher * Recovery vehicle * Water/Diesel tanker * Riot control * Communication vehicle A variation of the Wolf MK2 called a HEC wolf has also been developed by WMF and Henrik Ehlers Consult (HEC).

Operators

* Fielded their units at exercise Amani Africa II in 2015. * Some units were sold to the DRC army. * It is the primary APC of the

Namibian Army The Namibian Army is the ground warfare branch of the Namibian Defence Force. History Development of Namibia's army was fastest of the three arms of Service. The first units of the Army were deployed as early as 1990. The Army was formed when ...

. The

Namibian Police Force The Namibian Police Force (NAMPOL) is the national police force of Namibia. It was established by the Namibian Constitution and enacted by an act of Parliament of Namibia, Parliament. The Namibian Police Force replaced the South West African P ...

also operates units with the

Special Field Force The Special Field Force (SFF) is a Namibian Namibian Police Force, Police Force paramilitary police unit created in 1995 by the late commissioner Danger Ashipala, Ruben "Danger" Ashipala as an auxiliary aggressive unit to complement the Special Rese ...

directorate. * The

United States Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

had leased between three and nine units with Humanitarian Engineering Consulting CC (HEC) receiving commissioning fees in the deal. Thereafter they bought at least four units. * Unknown number of units were sold to

Swaziland Eswatini ( ; ss, eSwatini ), officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly named Swaziland ( ; officially renamed in 2018), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its no ...

Non-State Actors

* Used by German NGO Menschen gegen Minen (MgM). *

Peshmerga The Peshmerga ( ku, پێشمەرگه, Pêşmerge, lit=those who face death) is the Kurdish military forces of the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq. According to the Constitution of Iraq, the Peshmerga, along with their security subsidiaries, ...

Images of some units operated by the Peshmerga were uploaded to the internet *

Aegis Defense Services Aegis Defence Services is a British Private military company, private military and Private security company, private security company with overseas offices in Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Somalia and Mozamb ...

A British

private military company A private military company (PMC) or private military and security company (PMSC) is a private company providing armed combat or security services for financial gain. PMCs refer to their personnel as "security contractors" or "private military ...

was reported to have bought some units for use in

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

References