Daimler Truck Defence sells scale to armies short on trucks
With up to 7,000 Zetros trucks headed to France and more than 1,500 to Canada, Daimler Truck Defence is pitching commercial scale to armies that need vehicles now. The post Daimler Truck Defence sells scale to armies short on trucks appeared first on FreightWaves .
Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European nations have been in urgent need of a larger and quicker supply of military trucks. Daimler Truck has recognized this demand and has created Daimler Truck Defence, a single brand for their military vehicles, using the same factories and parts as their commercial trucks.
The company plans to invest heavily in the defense sector, targeting over €1 billion in revenue by 2028, and expects to hire more employees, particularly at their Wörth am Rhein plant in Germany.
Daimler Truck Defence's CEO, Dennis Kinzelmann, highlighted the growing need for scalable defense equipment during a media roundtable at IAA Transportation in Hanover, Germany. He stated that the Western world must be prepared for prolonged conflicts in order to provide necessary equipment promptly and in sufficient quantities.
Two significant defense programs are currently in Daimler Truck Defence's order book. In January, France's Ministry of the Armed Forces selected Daimler Truck and their French partner Arquus to build trucks for the PL6T program, with deliveries spanning over a decade. The framework covers up to 7,000 Zetros-based trucks, which will serve as the new platform for France's land forces.
Daimler has also supplied over 1,500 Zetros logistics trucks to Canada for the Logistics Vehicle Modernization program, with the chassis built in Wörth and the bodies and mission modules added locally.
The defense lineup includes the Unimog at the light end, the Zetros in the middle, and the Arocs, a heavy-duty vocational truck, at the top end. The Arocs can carry payloads of up to 100 tons, and the lineup spans from 10 to 100 tons. Much of the shared content between the military and civilian Arocs is estimated to be over 70-80%, while the remaining components are specifically tailored for military use.
These vehicles have already been deployed in various applications, demonstrating their reliability and effectiveness in the field.
Daimler Truck Defence's extensive service network, spanning over 160 countries, ensures that defense customers receive ongoing support for their vehicles, which they typically keep in service for 20 to 30 years. This network, coupled with a strong reliance on civil parts, allows Daimler to deliver spares quickly, similar to their commercial trucks. The Unimog's 80-year history of durability is a testament to the quality of Daimler's products.
Written by urgent.news from FreightWaves's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
