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164-841: The Bedford RL was the British military's main medium lorry , built by Bedford from the mid-1950s until the late 1960s. The lorry was based on the civilian Bedford S type , first introduced in 1950. They superseded the Bedford QL , and were in turn superseded by the Bedford MK/MJ . The Bedford RL was based on the Bedford SCL, a civilian 7-ton truck. The military version had all wheel drive and bigger wheels to increase ground clearance. Originally conservatively rated at 3 tons, all RL GS (general service) trucks in British Military service were, at

328-431: A power takeoff (PTO) connection to operate rotary equipment such as snow brooms, snow blowers , brush mowers, loaders or stationary conveyor belts . Unimogs are available with short wheelbases for implement carrier operations or long wheelbases for all-terrain cargo carrying operations. Currently (2022), Daimler Trucks offers the 437.4 heavy series and the 405 implement carrier series . Starting in 1951 having purchased

492-685: A tractor , Unimogs are used to haul produce, machinery and animals. They are also used around the farmyard to run chippers , grain augers , and conveyors. Unimogs are also used as a prime mover , to pull heavy trailers, large wheeled conveyances and jet airliners . Often, only the front half, (an OEM part), is combined with a tailor-made rear. Unimogs are used as tourist transport for jungle ecotourism or safaris . Unimogs have been uncommon in North America because of differing vehicle regulations and requirements from those in Germany, and due to

656-608: A "statutory liability for service" and are liable to be recalled (under Section 52 of the Reserve Forces Act (RFA) 1996) for duty during wartime, which is known as the Regular Reserve . MoD publications since April 2013 no longer report the entire strength of the Regular Reserve, instead they only give a figure for Regular Reserves who serve under a fixed-term reserve contract. These contracts are similar in nature to those of

820-516: A Mercedes Benz L Series 4x4 truck and Hino Ranger TK during the 1970s and 1980s. Bedford RL has endured in Konfrontasi conflict and Second Malaysian Insurgency . The Singapore Armed Forces operated the vehicle from mid-1960s to late-1970s. Primarily used to transport troops, and logistics such as food. One circa 1970s infantry platoon including the platoon 60mm mortar team could fit into one lorry. There are two rows of wooden bench seating along

984-861: A Royal Air Force outpost at Al Udeid Air Base which serves as the operational headquarters for No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group and its operations across the Middle East. A large Royal Navy Naval Support Facility (NSF) is located in Bahrain, established in 2016 it marks the British return East of Suez. In support of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), the United Kingdom retains a naval repair and logistics support facility at Sembawang wharf , Singapore. Other overseas military installations include; British Forces Brunei , British Forces Germany ,

1148-655: A base, without repair or refit capabilities, in 1951 and finally closed in 1995, following the Cold War (United States and Canadian bases in Bermuda closed in the same period), leaving only the Royal Bermuda Regiment and the Bermuda Sea Cadet Corps there today. Malta became independent in 1964, and the last British armed forces personnel were removed from the former colony in 1979. Gibraltar continues to be used by

1312-544: A central torque tube and transverse links. Having portal axles, the wheels' centres are below the axle centre, which gives the Unimog a high ground clearance without the need for big tyres. The coil sprung axles with torque tubes allow an axle angle offset of up to 30° , giving the wheels a wide range of vertical movement to allow the truck to drive over extremely uneven terrain , even boulders of one metre in height. Unimogs are equipped with high visibility driving cabs to enable

1476-634: A colony were generally considered to be separate forces from the Home Militia Force and Volunteer Force in the United Kingdom, and from the militia forces and volunteer forces of other colonies. Where a colony had more than one militia or volunteer unit, they would be grouped as a militia or volunteer force for that colony, such as the Jamaica Volunteer Defence Force , which comprised the St. Andrew Rifle Corps (or Kingston Infantry Volunteers ),

1640-717: A dual role of Armoured Cavalry and Mounted Ceremonial on Horse Guards in London, and for state occasions. The Royal Air Force has a large operational fleet that fulfils various roles, consisting of both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft . Frontline aircraft are controlled by Air Command , which is organised into five groups defined by function: 1 Group (Air Combat), 2 Group (Air Support), 11 Group (Air and Space operations), 22 Group (training aircraft and ground facilities) and 38 Group (Royal Air Force's Engineering, Logistics, Communications and Medical Operations units). In addition 83 Expeditionary Air Group directs formations in

1804-892: A field artillery regiment based in Plymouth, and 24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers . The Commando Logistic Regiment consists of personnel from the Army, Royal Marines, and Royal Navy. The British Army is the land force of the British Armed Forces, and is made up of the Regular Army and the part-time Army Reserve . The Army is commanded by the Chief of the General Staff , a four-star general within Army Headquarters , based at Andover . Deployable combat formations are; The Infantry of

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1968-415: A high ground clearance can be achieved with small wheels and tyres. Unlike "regular" trucks, the Unimog has coil springs with hydraulic shock absorbers rather than leaf springs , as coil springs provide more spring travel. The axles themselves have only one longitudinal pivot point each, the so-called torque tubes . The torque tubes contain the drive shafts and connect the axles' differential gearboxes to

2132-418: A joint force it involves all three armed Services: a land component composed of formations at national brigade level, maritime and air components with their associated Headquarters, together with logistics and support functions. The Royal Navy is a technologically sophisticated naval force, and as of May 2024 consists of 66 commissioned ships with an additional 13 support vessels of various types operated by

2296-603: A late stage in their service lives, re-rated at 4 tons without any mechanical modifications; the weight referring to its rated cross country payload weight. The last RL rolled off the production line in the early 1970s, a total of 74,000 being produced. The RL was powered by a 4.9 litres (299.0 cu in) petrol engine producing 110 brake horsepower (82 kW; 112 PS), although some were fitted with diesel engines . Many specialist variants were also built; including recovery vehicles , mobile workshops, radio vans and cable layers. The Green Goddess fire engine

2460-711: A long string of Anglo-Spanish and Anglo-Dutch wars, as well as a series of "world wars" with France, such as; the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), the French Revolutionary Wars (1792–1802) and the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815). During the Napoleonic wars, the Royal Navy victory at Trafalgar (1805) under the command of Horatio Nelson (aboard HMS Victory ) marked the culmination of British maritime supremacy, and left

2624-454: A military satellite communications system, Skynet , initially in large part to support East of Suez bases and deployments. Since 2015 Skynet has offered near global coverage. The British Armed Forces place significant importance in the ability to conduct expeditionary warfare . While the armed forces are expeditionary in nature, it maintains a core of "high readiness" forces trained and equipped to deploy at very short notice, these include;

2788-520: A military vehicle; Allied permission to develop the Unimog was granted only because Albert Friedrich, inventor of the Unimog, ensured that the Unimog would not have any military purpose. However, the Unimog has always been used as a military vehicle. 44 Unimogs of the first model, the Unimog 70200 , served as combat engineer tractors in the Swiss army. They proved successful, and the Swiss army purchased 540 units of

2952-509: A new frame for it, but it still shares its drivetrain with the 411-series. With the introduction of the 406-series in 1962, Daimler-Benz laid the foundation for a completely new Unimog model family, the 406-based medium series (in the 1960s known as heavy series). It was produced until 1994. Unimogs belonging to the medium series are the series 403, 413, 406, 416, 426, and 419. These models were offered with three different wheelbases ( 2380 mm , 2900 mm , 3400 mm ) and two engines,

3116-572: A new military version of the Unimog, the Unimog SH . It was based on the Unimog S and had a rear engine (German: Heckmotor), hence the name Unimog SH . Until 1960, Daimler-Benz completed 24 Unimog SH and sent them to AB Landsverk for final assembly. Initially, the Belgian Army intended to purchase these vehicle for their police forces in the Belgian Congo , but only 9 vehicles were actually sold to

3280-483: A pair of ox horns in the shape of the letter U. The first 600 units of the 70200 series Unimogs were built by Boehringer . This was done mainly for two reasons: Erhard und Söhne did not have the capacity to build the Unimogs and Boehringer (a former tool manufacturer) could evade dismantling. In late 1950, Mercedes-Benz entered into a contract with Boeringer to take over production of the Unimog. Daimler-Benz modified

3444-642: A permanent member on the United Nations Security Council , a founding and leading member of NATO and party to the AUKUS security pact and the Five Power Defence Arrangements . Overseas garrisons and training facilities are maintained at Ascension Island , Bahrain , Belize , Bermuda , British Indian Ocean Territory , Brunei , Canada , Cyprus , the Falkland Islands , Germany , Gibraltar , Kenya , Montserrat , Nepal , Qatar , Singapore and

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3608-469: A shift in the series numbers, but leaving the vehicles mostly unchanged otherwise. The 424 became 427 and both 425 and 435 were joined together and became 437. A derivative of the 437-series, the 437.4-series is still in production today. In 1988, after declining Unimog sales, Daimler-Benz launched a new strategy that was supposed to increase sales and make the Unimog more profitable, called "Unimog-Programm 1988". New models introduced with this programme were

3772-523: A single fleet since the abolition of the Eastern and Western fleets in 1971. The recently built Type 45 destroyers are stealthy and technologically advanced air-defence destroyers. The Royal Navy has commissioned two Queen Elizabeth -class aircraft carriers, embarking an air-group including the advanced fifth-generation multi-role fighter, the F-35B Lightning . A submarine service has existed within

3936-694: A slightly larger Mercedes lorry during the 1970s. The handed-down Bedford and the replacement Mercedes were referred to as the "3-tonner" by Singapore Armed Forces personnel. The Bedford RL was the New Zealand military's main medium truck from 1958 to 1989. Built under licence in New Zealand, the RL served the New Zealand Military in New Zealand and South East Asia. The RL was replaced by the Mercedes Benz UNIMOG family of vehicles. The New Zealand Army used

4100-681: A strategic competition in what became known as The Great Game for supremacy in Central Asia . Britain feared that Russian expansionism in the region would eventually threaten the Empire in India. In response, Britain undertook a number of pre-emptive actions against perceived Russian ambitions, including the First Anglo-Afghan War (1839–1842), the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–1880) and

4264-477: A third position that locks front- and rear differentials. As of 1963, a pneumatic power switch was used instead of a lever. Due to the reduction gears inside the portal axles, the rotational frequency of the driveshafts inside the torque tubes is relatively high, meaning that the amount of torque they have to withstand is fairly low. Traditionally, the Unimog has a splitter gearbox . Over the years, three different base gearbox designs have been used, all following

4428-651: A £178 billion investment over ten years in new equipment and capabilities. On 8 March 2023 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a further £5bn in defence spending with a long-term goal of an increased spending to 2.5% of GDP. The United Kingdom is one of five recognised nuclear weapon states under the Non-Proliferation Treaty and maintains an independent nuclear deterrent , currently consisting of four Vanguard -class ballistic missile submarines , UGM-133 Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles , and 160 operational thermonuclear warheads . This

4592-416: Is also an AFV family based on the Unimog. Originally, the Unimog was developed in post-war Germany to be used as agricultural equipment. It was designed with equal-sized wheels, a mounting bracket in front, a hitch in the rear, and loading space in the center. This was to make it a multi-purpose vehicle that farmers could use in the field and on the highway. Albert Friedrich was granted permission to develop

4756-568: Is assisted by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces , Minister for Defence Procurement , and Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Responsibility for the management of the forces is delegated to a number of committees: the Defence Council , Chiefs of Staff Committee , Defence Management Board and three single-service boards. The Defence Council, composed of senior representatives of the services and

4920-689: Is known as Trident in both public and political discourse (with nomenclature taken after the UGM-133 Trident II ballistic missile). Trident is operated by the Royal Navy Submarine Service , charged with delivering a 'Continuous At-Sea Deterrent' (CASD) capability, whereby one of the Vanguard -class strategic submarines is always on patrol. According to the British Government, since the introduction of Polaris (Trident's predecessor) in

5084-416: Is the most popularly produced variant. 64,242 units were produced between 1955 and 1980. The oldest 404 known to exist is the first 1953 prototype, located in an East German museum. Starting in 1957, the Unimog 411 was offered with a synchromesh gearbox as an option, and in 1959, the synchromesh gearbox became standard. The 406/416 middle series were produced beginning in 1963. They were equipped with

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5248-550: The Allied Rapid Reaction Corps and other NATO operations. In 2010, the governments of the United Kingdom and France signed the Lancaster House Treaties which committed both governments to the creation of a Franco-British Combined Joint Expeditionary Force . It is envisaged as a deployable joint force, for use in a wide range of crisis scenarios, up to and including high intensity combat operations. As

5412-607: The British Army , the UK's principal land warfare branch; and the Royal Air Force , a technologically sophisticated air force with a diverse operational fleet consisting of both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. The British Armed Forces include standing forces, Regular Reserve , Volunteer Reserves and Sponsored Reserves . King Charles III , sovereign of the United Kingdom , is the Head of

5576-826: The British Army Training Unit Kenya , British Army Training Unit Suffield in Canada, British Army Training and Support Unit Belize , and British Gurkhas Nepal . Some British Overseas Territories also maintain locally raised units and regiments; The Royal Bermuda Regiment , the Falkland Islands Defence Force , the Royal Gibraltar Regiment , the Royal Montserrat Defence Force , the Cayman Islands Regiment , and

5740-530: The British Expeditionary Force , or of a mixture of British Army, Indian Army, or Imperial auxiliary units, such as the Malakand Field Force (this is similarly to the naval use of the term task force ). In this usage, force is used to describe a self-reliant body able to act without external support, at least within the parameters of the task or objective for which it is employed. During

5904-618: The British expedition to Tibet (1903–1904). During this period, Britain also sought to maintain the balance of power in Europe, particularly against Russian expansionism, who at the expense of the waning Ottoman Empire had ambitions to "carve up the European part of Turkey". This ultimately led to British involvement in the Crimean War (1854–1856) against the Russian Empire. The beginning of

6068-602: The COVID-19 pandemic ; the armed forces' support to the latter falls under Operation Rescript , described as the UK's "biggest ever homeland military operation in peacetime" by the Ministry of Defence. Figures released by the Ministry of Defence on 31 March 2016 show that 7,185 British Armed Forces personnel have lost their lives in medal earning theatres since the end of the Second World War. King Charles III , sovereign of

6232-637: The First World War and the Second World War . Britain's victories in most of these wars allowed it to influence world events and establish itself as one of the world's leading military and economic powers. The British Armed Forces consist of: the Royal Navy , a blue-water navy with a fleet of 66 commissioned ships, together with the Royal Marines , a highly specialised amphibious light infantry force;

6396-813: The Irish Army Reserve , the FCA. All were withdrawn by 1984, and two are preserved; one in the transport museum in Howth Co Dublin and one in the Muckleburgh Collection , England. An updated version of the Unimog SH, the Unimog T was made for the German Bundeswehr in 1962. The German defence ministry decided not to purchase the Unimog T, which is why it was never put into series production. Further armoured vehicles developed in Germany using Unimog chassis are

6560-675: The Jamaica Corps of Scouts , and the Jamaica Reserve Regiment , but not the Jamaica Militia Artillery . In smaller colonies with a single militia or volunteer unit, that single unit would still be considered to be listed within a force, or in some case might be named a force rather than a regiment or corps, such as is the case for the Falkland Islands Defence Force and the Royal Montserrat Defence Force . The militia, yeomanry and volunteer forces collectively were known as

6724-519: The Joint Expeditionary Force (Maritime) (Royal Navy), UK Commando Force (Royal Marines), and 16 Air Assault Brigade (British Army). Frequently, these forces will act as part of a larger tri-service effort, under the direction of Permanent Joint Headquarters , or along with like-minded allies under the Joint Expeditionary Force . Similarly, under the auspices of NATO , such expeditionary forces are designed to meet Britain's obligations to

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6888-424: The Military intervention against ISIL (2014–present). Britain's military intervention against Islamic State was expanded following a parliamentary vote to launch a bombing campaign over Syria ; an extension of the bombing campaign requested by the Iraqi government against the same group. In addition to the aerial campaign, the British Army has trained and supplied allies on the ground and the Special Air Service ,

7052-574: The Morgenthau Plan , former DB airplane engine engineers developed prototypes under occupation. The small universally-applicable motorised 25hp workhorse should be able to fit over two rows of potatoes to work on fields like a slow agricultural tractor , but with four equal size wheels on portal axles , coil spring suspension, and many gears, it was designed to also run fast on roads like a truck. Unimog production started in 1948 at Boehringer  [ de ] in Göppingen . When larger production numbers were needed, Daimler-Benz took over manufacture of

7216-399: The OM 636 Diesel engine had not been finished. The prototypes were similar to the later series production models. The original track width of 1.270 m (4 ft 2 in) was equivalent to two potato rows. The 25-PS (18 kW) OM 636 Mercedes-Benz Diesel engine became standard equipment in the first production Unimogs at the end of 1947. The original emblem for the Unimog was

7380-409: The Reserve Force Act 1867 ) were increasingly integrated with the British Army through a succession of reforms over the last two decades of the 19th century (in 1871, command of the Auxiliary Forces in the British Isles was taken from the Lords-Lieutenant of counties and transferred to the War Office , though colonial governors retained control of their militia and volunteer forces, and by the end of

7544-399: The Royal Dragoon Guards , currently operate the Warrior IFV on an interim basis, until Ajax reaches full operating capability . There are six Light Cavalry regiments (three Regular + three Reserve) equipped with the Jackal 2 and Coyote TSV , tasked with providing reconnaissance and fire support. The Household Cavalry , made up of the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals , operate in

7708-507: The Royal Fleet Auxiliary . Command of deployable assets is exercised by the Fleet Commander of the Naval Service . Personnel matters are the responsibility of the Second Sea Lord /Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command, an appointment usually held by a vice-admiral. The Surface Fleet consists of aircraft carriers , amphibious warfare ships , destroyers , frigates , patrol vessels , mine-countermeasure vessels , and other miscellaneous vessels. The Surface Fleet has been structured around

7872-448: The Royal Flying Corps of the British Army, by contrast, were separated from their parent forces in 1918 and amalgamated to form a new force, the Royal Air Force , which would have complete responsibility for naval, military and strategic aviation until the Second World War ). Naval forces included the Royal Navy , the Waterguard (subsequently HM Coastguard ), and Sea Fencibles and River Fencibles formed as and when required for

8036-412: The Royal Navy Reserve (created under the Naval Reserve Act 1859 ) and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (created in 1903). The British military (those parts of the British Armed Forces tasked with land warfare, as opposed to the naval forces) historically was divided into a number of military forces , of which the British Army (also referred to historically as the 'Regular Army' and the 'Regular Force')

8200-491: The Special Boat Service , and the Special Reconnaissance Regiment (British special forces) has carried out various missions on the ground in both Syria and Iraq. The armed forces have also been called upon to assist with national emergencies through the provisions of the military aid to the civil authorities (MACA) mechanism. This has seen the armed forces assist government departments and civil authorities responding to flooding, food shortages, wildfires, terrorist attacks and

8364-489: The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute , the United Kingdom is in sixth place in the world's military spending list in 2023. For comparison: Great Britain spends more in absolute terms than Germany, Ukraine, France or Japan, similar to Saudi Arabia, but less than India, Russia, China or the United States. In September 2011, according to Professor Malcolm Chalmers of the Royal United Services Institute , current "planned levels of defence spending should be enough for

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8528-431: The Suez Crisis (1956). Reflecting Britain's new role in the world and the escalation of the Cold War (1947–1991), the country became a founding member of the NATO military alliance in 1949. Defence Reviews , such as those in 1957 and 1966 , announced significant reductions in conventional forces, the pursuement of a doctrine based on nuclear deterrence , and a permanent military withdrawal east of Suez . By

8692-451: The Turks and Caicos Regiment . Though their primary mission is "home defence", individuals have volunteered for operational duties. The Royal Bermuda Regiment is an amalgam of the Bermuda Militia Artillery (which had been part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery ) and the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps , raised in the 1890s as Imperial forces funded by the War Office as part of the British Army, and both antecedent units sent contingents to

8856-402: The UR-416 , the Sonderwagen 4 and Condor 1 in Police service, and the ATF Dingo used by the Bundeswehr in Afghanistan . The French Aravis mine-protected vehicle, like the Dingo, based on the Special Chassis FGA 12.5. The Buffel , Mamba , RG-31 , and RG-33 armoured personnel carriers from South Africa are based upon the Unimog driveline. The AV-VBL developed by Brazil's Tectran

9020-462: The Unimog 419 as an engineer tractor, while the United States Army also uses Unimog vehicles to access remote installations. In total, 2416 Unimog 419 were made, and only used by United States Forces. Modern Unimogs also serve as military vehicles, and the current Unimog 437.4 chassis is used for the ATF Dingo . More than 5,500 Unimogs are in active service in the Turkish Armed Forces . They were produced by Mercedes-Benz Türk. Unimogs are used by

9184-405: The United States . With the Acts of Union 1707 , the armed forces of England and Scotland were merged into the armed forces of the Kingdom of Great Britain . There were originally several naval and several military regular and reserve forces , although most of these were consolidated into the Royal Navy or the British Army during the 19th and 20th Centuries (the Royal Naval Air Service and

9348-416: The reserve forces , auxiliary forces , or local forces . Officers of these forces could not sit on courts martial of regular forces personnel. The Mutiny Act did not apply to members of the Reserve Forces. The other regular military force that existed alongside the British Army was the Board of Ordnance , which included the Ordnance Military Corps (made up of the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, and

9512-801: The 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s by Victoria's Country Fire Authority (CFA). They were built as 800 gallon water capacity, 4 wheel drive bushfire tankers and designated "State Spare Tankers". Considerably larger and with greater water capacity than CFA's standard Bedford, Leyland , BMC , Austin and International brand rural fire attack tankers, they were spread thinly throughout the state to bolster their smaller workmates. Most were painted in CFA's standard "Carnation (dark) Red". They were fitted with rear-mounted, British-built Godiva pumps rated at approximately 2,250 litres per minute output. Malaysian Armed Force (ATM) - mid-1960s to middle-1980s. Primarily used for logistic purpose like troop and ammunition transporter. There are two rows of wooden bench seating along

9676-443: The 1960s, from April 1969 "the Royal Navy's ballistic missile boats have not missed a single day on patrol", giving what the Defence Council described in 1980 as a deterrent "effectively invulnerable to pre-emptive attack". As of 2015, it has been British Government policy for the Vanguard -class strategic submarines to carry no more than 40 nuclear warheads, delivered by eight UGM-133 Trident II ballistic missiles. In contrast with

9840-426: The 1st Battalion Royal Yorkshire Regiment , within the 7th Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team , operate the Foxhound protected mobility vehicle; Armoured Infantry (to become Heavy Mechanised Infantry under Future Soldier ), such as the 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers , within the 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade Combat Team , operate the Warrior infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), but will be equipped with

10004-428: The 406-family. The steering system used to be a screw-and-nut system until 1970. Then it was replaced by a power assisted ball-and-nut system for the 406-series. The classical Unimog is rear-wheel drive vehicle, meaning that the rear axle is directly connected to the gearbox. Turning on front wheel drive automatically locks both axles, without torque compensation. The mechanical lever that turns on all wheel drive has

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10168-421: The 411-series. Yet, Daimler-Benz decided that an entirely new, more powerful version of the Unimog would be required to meet future customer expectations. This Unimog version would later be known as 406-series. The military Unimog S series is the first Unimog designed to be an offroad truck rather than a tractor, and it is the only series production Unimog that has an Otto engine. Daimler-Benz designed

10332-466: The 70200's successor, the Unimog 2010 . These early Swiss military vehicles were known as ″Dieseli″. The Dieseli-Unimogs remained in service until 1989. Officers of the French army, then occupying forces in Germany, noted the Unimog testing at the Sauberg in the early 1950s and considered the Unimog useful for patrolling purposes. Soon after, the French army purchased Unimogs of the series 2010 and 401. The Unimog proved to be so successful that Daimler-Benz

10496-411: The Armed Forces , with officers and personnel swearing allegiance to him. Long-standing constitutional convention, however, has vested de facto executive authority, by the exercise of royal prerogative , in the Prime Minister and the secretary of state for defence . The Prime Minister (acting with the Cabinet ) makes the key decisions on the use of the armed forces. The UK Parliament approves

10660-442: The Army List. Confusingly, and similarly to the dual meaning of the word Corps in the British Army (by example, the 1st Battalion of the King's Royal Rifle Corps was in 1914 part of the 6th Brigade that was part of the 2nd Infantry Division , which was itself part of 1st Army Corps ), the British Army sometimes also used the term expeditionary force or field force to describe a body made up of British Army units, most notably

10824-431: The Atlantic and its connected seas. As, until the end of the First World War, it was presumed the only navies that might prove a threat were all of countries on, or off, the Atlantic, no Imperial fortress was established in the Pacific or Indian Oceans, to which power would be extended from Bermuda and Malta following the completion of the Panama and Suez canals. Local-service military reserve units were raised in some of

10988-401: The Belgian forces; the 15 remaining vehicles were purchased by the Irish Army in 1972. They were intended as a stop-gap vehicle for use until the first Panhard M3 VTT APCs entered service in 1972. The type had excellent off-road capability but poor on-road handling due to a high centre of gravity and several accidents occurred as a result. A four-man dismountable squad was carried, but space

11152-423: The British Army has a strength of 48 battalions (32 regular and 16 reserve), structured under 17 unique regiments. These battalions are trained and equipped for specific roles within their respective Brigade Combat Teams (BCT); Light Infantry , such as the famous 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards , within the 4th Light Brigade Combat Team , fight on foot without armoured vehicles; Light Mechanised Infantry , such as

11316-399: The British Army." The Royal Armoured Corps provides the armoured capability of the British Army. The Royal Tank Regiment , Queen's Royal Hussars and Royal Wessex Yeomanry (of the Army Reserve ) operate Challenger 2 main battle tanks, which are being upgraded to Challenger 3 , and are part of 3rd (UK) Division 's Armoured Brigade Combat Teams. Armoured Cavalry regiments, such as

11480-423: The Cold War, at least in the context of British defence policy, was the Falklands War (1982). Since the end of the Cold War , an increasingly international role for the armed forces has been pursued, with re-structuring to deliver a greater focus on expeditionary warfare and power projection . This entailed the armed forces often constituting a major component in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions under

11644-418: The Eastern Atlantic and North Sea . While NATO obligations took increased prominence, Britain nonetheless found itself engaged in a number of low-intensity conflicts, including a spate of insurgencies against colonial occupation. However the Dhofar Rebellion (1962–1976) and The Troubles (1969–1998) emerged as the primary operational concerns of the armed forces. Perhaps the most important conflict during

11808-472: The Falkland Islands ( British Forces South Atlantic Islands ) and Diego Garcia ( British Forces British Indian Ocean Territories ). While not a PJOB, Ascension Island (another BOT) is home to the airbase RAF Ascension Island , notable for use as a staging post during the 1982 Falklands War , the territory is also the site of a joint UK-US signals intelligence facility. Qatar is home to RAF Al Udeid ,

11972-654: The First World War, by 1933 fascism had given rise to Nazi Germany , which under the leadership of Adolf Hitler re-militarised in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles. Once again tensions accumulated in European relations, and following Germany's invasion of Poland in September 1939, the Second World War began (1939–1945). The conflict was the most widespread in British history, with British Empire and Commonwealth troops fighting in campaigns from Europe and North Africa, to

12136-763: The German emergency management agency Technisches Hilfswerk (THW), (literally Technical Relief Organization ), by fire departments and municipalities as utility vehicles. They can be used as material handlers, auxiliary power providers ( generators ), and equipment carriers. Their ability to operate off-road, in high water, or mud, makes it easier to access remote areas in emergency situations. They are commonly used in snow removal where other vehicles might not be able to operate. Many Alpine towns and districts are equipped with one or more Unimog snow blowers to clear narrow mountain roads that have drifted closed. In construction , Unimogs are used as carriers of equipment and, with

12300-706: The Imperial fortresses (notably Bermuda and Malta), which could be embodied for full time service in war time to reinforce the regular garrisons, and these were funded by the War Office as part of the British Army. After the First World War, the growing belligerence and naval power of the Japanese Empire led to the construction of the Singapore Naval Base. The regular British Armed Forces otherwise were distributed around

12464-455: The M 180, displacing 2.2 litres, and producing 85 PS (63 kW). The military Unimog would later be known as Unimog 404 or Unimog S. In total, 64,242 units of the Unimog 404 were produced, which makes it the Unimog with the highest production figure. 36,638 Unimog 404 were purchased by the German Bundeswehr. Apart from the Bundeswehr, many different military forces have either used

12628-669: The Mercedes-Benz truck plant in Wörth am Rhein in Germany. The Mercedes-Benz Türk A.Ş. plant assembles Unimogs in Aksaray , Turkey. Unimogs were also built in Argentina (first ever country to do so outside Germany) by Mercedes-Benz Argentina S.A. under licence from 1968 until 1983 (with some extra units built until 1991 off the assembly line from parts in stock) in the González Catán factory near

12792-806: The Middle East and the 38 Group combines the expeditionary combat support and combat service support units of the RAF. Deployable formations consist of Expeditionary Air Wings and squadrons —the basic unit of the Air Force. Independent flights are deployed to facilities in Brunei, the Falkland Islands, Iraq, and the United States. The Royal Air Force operates multi-role and single-role fighters, reconnaissance and patrol aircraft, tankers, transports, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and various types of training aircraft. Unimog Conceived in 1944 in response to

12956-682: The Middle East and the Far East . Approximately 390,000 British Empire and Commonwealth troops died. Allied victory resulted in the defeat of the Axis powers and the establishment of the United Nations (replacing the League of nations). Post–Second World War economic and political decline, as well as changing attitudes in British society and government, were reflected by the armed forces' contracting global role, and later epitomised by its political defeat during

13120-772: The Militia Artillery integrating within Royal Artillery territorial divisions in 1882 and 1889, and becoming parts of the Royal Field Artillery or Royal Garrison Artillery in 1902 (though retaining their traditional corps names), but was not merged into the Territorial Force when it was created in 1908 (by the merger of the Yeomanry and Volunteer Force). The Militia was instead renamed the Special Reserve , and

13284-426: The Ministry of Defence, provides the "formal legal basis for the conduct of defence". The three constituent single-service committees ( Admiralty Board , Army Board and Air Force Board ) are chaired by the secretary of state for defence. The chief of the defence staff (CDS) is the senior-most officer of the armed forces and is an appointment that can be held by an admiral , air chief marshal or general . Before

13448-620: The Navy in a position of uncontested hegemony at sea. By 1815 and the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars, Britain had risen to become the world's dominant great power and the British Empire subsequently presided over a period of relative peace, known as Pax Britannica . With Britain's old rivals no-longer a threat, the 19th century saw the emergence of a new rival, the Russian Empire , and

13612-508: The North American market and was significantly different mechanically from its European counterpart. The UGN faced stiff competition in North America by manufacturers whose truck or equipment lines performed some of the same duties as the Unimog. Some of them are Caterpillar , John Deere , AM General , Sterling Trucks (also a Daimler AG subsidiary), and General Motors . After five years and selling only 184 Unimogs, Freightliner LLC exited

13776-565: The RL GS, Tipper, Recovery and Mobile workshops versions. British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces are the military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom , its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies . They also promote the UK's wider interests, support international peacekeeping efforts and provide humanitarian aid . Since the formation of

13940-649: The Royal Navy and will maintain Britain's nuclear-powered submarine fleet capabilities for decades to come. The Royal Marines are the Royal Navy's amphibious troops. Consisting of a single manoeuvre brigade (UK Commando Force) and various independent units, the Royal Marines specialise in amphibious , arctic , and mountain warfare . Contained within UK Commando Force are three attached army units; 383 Commando Petroleum Troop RLC, 29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery ,

14104-422: The Royal Navy for more than 100 years. The Submarine Service 's four Vanguard -class nuclear-powered submarines carry Trident II ballistic missiles , forming the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent . Seven Astute -class nuclear-powered fleet (attack) submarines have been ordered, with five completed and two under construction. The Astute class are the most advanced and largest fleet submarines ever built for

14268-568: The Royal Sappers and Miners), as well as the originally-civilian Commissariat Stores and transport departments, as well as barracks departments, ordnance factories and various other functions supporting the various naval and military forces. The English Army, subsequently the British Army once Scottish regiments were moved onto its establishment following the Union of the Kingdoms of Scotland and England,

14432-731: The UGM-133 Trident II ballistic missiles and modernise the infrastructure associated with the CASD. Former weapons of mass destruction possessed by the United Kingdom include both biological and chemical weapons . These were renounced in 1956 and subsequently destroyed. The British Armed Forces historically relied on four Imperial fortress colonies (Bermuda, Gibraltar, Halifax and its environs in Nova Scotia, and Malta), where dockyards were established, naval squadrons based, soldiers garrisoned, and naval and military stores stockpiled. These acted as lynchpins in maintaining British naval supremacy on

14596-560: The UGN ("Geräteträger" or equipment carrier), and heavy series 437, also known as the UHN ("Hochgeländegängig" or highly mobile cross country). The name Unimog is an acronym for the German " UNI versal- MO tor- G erät" , Gerät being the German word for a piece of equipment (also in the sense of device , machine , instrument , gear , apparatus ). It was created by German engineer Hans Zabel, who made

14760-428: The Unimog and engaged in four years of aggressive marketing, which included activities such as; truck and trade shows, exposure on the television show Modern Marvels , numerous magazine articles and extensive demonstrations (both touring and on an individual basis). They were generally sold through Freightliner truck dealerships. Freightliner is a Daimler AG subsidiary. The UGN series was specifically manufactured for

14924-591: The Unimog for mass production to create the series 2010 and in 1951, started its manufacture in their Gaggenau plant in Baden-Württemberg, where production continued until 2002. In 1953, the Unimog was updated and the three-pointed Mercedes star began to appear on the bonnet, replacing the Unimog ox horn emblem. The new model became known as the series 401. A new series 402 with a long wheelbase chassis (2,120 mm (83 in) instead of 1,720 mm (68 in)) also became available. An enclosed driver's cab

15088-410: The Unimog gearbox, but being also parts of the suspension system, the torque tubes prevent longitudinal movement of the axles, whilst still allowing limited vertical movement. Lateral axle movement is prevented by panhard rods and transverse links . This design results in extreme axle angle offsets of up to 30° possible. A wide variety of wheels and tyres were available for the Unimog. Originally,

15252-456: The Unimog in 1951, and first produced it in their Gaggenau plant , and the Unimog was sold under the Mercedes-Benz brand. However, the first Unimog to feature the three-pointed Mercedes-Benz star instead of the Boehringer bullhead was only introduced in 1953. From the 1970s, the more tractor-like MB-trac series was offered before it was outsourced in 1990. Since 2002, the Unimog has been built in

15416-523: The Unimog in November 1945, and entered a production agreement with Erhard und Söhne (Erhard and Sons) in Schwäbisch Gmünd on 1 December 1945. Development began on 1 January 1946. Soon after, Heinrich Rößler, the Unimog lead designer, joined the development team. The first prototype was ready by the end of 1946. The early prototypes were equipped with the M 136 Otto engine , because the development of

15580-467: The Unimog in the past or still make use of it today. In addition to the military series 404, several civilian models have been adapted for military use. In Argentina, the series 426, actually a version of the civilian series 416 produced under licence, was made for the Argentinian, Chilean, Peruvian and Bolivian military. In total, 2643 units of the series 426 were made. The Argentinian made Unimog 431, which

15744-415: The Unimog is a body-on-frame vehicle with short overhangs. The original Unimog was made with a plane ladder frame and a wheelbase of 1720 mm. Later, the wheelbase was extended several times to accommodate customer needs. Starting in the mid-1950s, with the introduction of the Unimog 404, the frame received a drop. Originally, this was done to make space for a spare tyre, but soon engineers found out that

15908-455: The Unimog: An open roof cab (Cabrio), single cab and double cab, with the single cab being the most popular. Because the Unimog was designed to be a better agricultural tractor, its original design did not include a closed cab (as agricultural tractors in Germany usually did not have a closed cab in the 1940s). The first Unimog series to be officially offered with a cab was the 401-series. However,

16072-450: The United Kingdom , is the Head of the Armed Forces , with officers and personnel swearing allegiance to him. Long-standing constitutional convention, however, has de facto vested military authority and associated royal prerogative powers in the prime minister and the secretary of state for defence , with the former (acting with the support of the Cabinet ) making the key decisions on

16236-422: The United Kingdom to maintain its position as one of the world's top military powers, as well as being one of NATO-Europe's top military powers. Its edge – not least its qualitative edge – in relation to rising Asian powers seems set to erode, but will remain significant well into the 2020s, and possibly beyond." The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 committed to spending 2% of GDP on defence and announced

16400-952: The Volunteer Reserve. The distribution of personnel between the services and categories of service on 1 July 2023 was as follows: On 1 April 2024, most personnel in the UK Regular Forces were stationed in the United Kingdom (around 96%). Of the 5,700 personnel stationed overseas, around two thirds were in Europe (66%), while 14% were stationed in North America, 6% in North Africa and the Middle East, 6% in Asia and 5% in Sub-Saharan Africa. 1,230 personnel were distributed across several regions in Germany, primarily North Rhine-Westphalia as part of British Army Germany . However, up to 750 of these were Locally Engaged Civilians. According to

16564-680: The Western Front during the First World War. They also sent contingents that served in North-Western Europe, and Italy and North Africa during the Second World War. The Royal Gibraltar Regiment mobilised section-sized units for attachment to British regiments deployed during the Iraq War . The Isle of Man , a Crown dependency hosts a multi-capability recruiting and training unit of the British Army Reserve . Since 1969 Britain has had

16728-772: The auspices of the United Nations, NATO, and other multinational operations, including: peacekeeping responsibilities in the Balkans and Cyprus , the 2000 intervention in Sierra Leone and participation in the UN-mandated no-fly zone over Libya (2011). Post- 9/11 , the armed forces became heavily committed to the War on Terror (2001–present), with lengthy campaigns in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and Iraq (2003–2009), and more recently as part of

16892-678: The century, at the latest, any unit wholly or partly funded from Army funds was considered part of the British Army) and the early years of the 20th century, whereby the Reserve Forces units mostly lost their own identities and became numbered Territorial Force sub-units of regular British Army corps or regiments (the Home Militia had followed this path, with the Militia Infantry units becoming numbered battalions of British Army regiments, and

17056-409: The city of Buenos Aires, as stated in the book "El Unimog en el Ejército Argentino", by Argentine author and historian Gaston Javier Garcia Loperena in 2015. The first model was designed by Albert Friedrich and Heinrich Rößler shortly after World War II to be used in agriculture as a self-propelled machine providing a power take-off to operate saws in forests or harvesting machines on fields. It

17220-534: The colonial Governors as defence is not a competency that has been delegated to local governments). Under the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation alliance, and with the steady reduction of both the British Empire and the British Armed Forces over the decades that followed the Second World War, the significance of the three remaining Imperial fortresses (military control of Halifax having passed to

17384-407: The colony's coast from the 17th century to the 19th century (when all of the batteries were taken over by the regular Royal Artillery). The militia system was extended to a number of English (subsequently British ) colonies, beginning with Virginia and Bermuda . In some colonies, Troops of Horse or other mounted units similar to the Yeomanry were also created. The militia and volunteer units of

17548-486: The continued existence of the British Army by passing an Armed Forces Act at least once every five years, as required by the Bill of Rights 1689 . Only a "standing army" requires reapproval by Parliament; the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and the Royal Marines and any other forces are not included in the requirement. The armed forces are managed by the Defence Council . The United Kingdom is one of five recognised nuclear powers ,

17712-483: The country to conduct operations worldwide. The majority of Britain's permanent military installations are located on British Overseas Territories (BOTs) or former colonies which retain close diplomatic ties with the United Kingdom, and located in areas of strategic importance. The most significant of these are the "Permanent Joint Operating Bases" (PJOBs), located on the four overseas territories of Cyprus ( British Forces Cyprus ), Gibraltar ( British Forces Gibraltar ),

17876-404: The current heavy-duty-series' cab was introduced. Its basic design has not been changed since. The equipment carrier versions' cab on the other hand has received several modifications since its introduction in the late 1980s, with the current version being introduced in 2000. The original Unimog was offered with a pneumatic system. This system was used for powering all auxiliary devices as well as

18040-577: The duration of emergencies. The Merchant Navy and offshore fishing boat crews were also important manpower reserves to the armed naval forces (any seaman was liable to impressment , with many so conscripted especially during the two decades of conflict from the French Revolution until the end of the Napoleonic Wars, and from 1835 registered on the Register of Seamen to identify them as a potential resource), and many of their seamen would serve part time in

18204-476: The edgy cab, which is still a design feature of the Unimog today. The first heavy series Unimog was the 425-series, which was available from 1976. Soon after, the 435-series and 424-series followed, which caused a decline in Unimog 406 sales. The 425 was available with a wheelbase of 2810 mm , the 424 with 2650 mm and 3250 mm , and the 435 with 3250 mm , 3700 mm and 3850 mm . The introduction of new engines starting in 1986 caused

18368-514: The entire length of the bed, lining along the right and left bed edge. Seat faces inside and each other. Seating compartment provided with rain/sun cover supported by steel-tube frame. Drivers' cab could seat two (including the driver). These lorries were likely handed-down from the British military that were still present in Singapore after Singapore gained independence in 1965; withdrawing completely by 1971. These lorries were slowly phased out by

18532-403: The entire length of the bed, lining along the right and left bed edge. Seat faces inside and each other. Seating compartment provided with rain/sun tarpaulin cover supported by steel-tube frame. Drivers' cab could seat two (including the driver). The difference from military model and civilian model is machinegunner hatch on the roof and 4x4 features. These useful trucks were slowly phased out by

18696-516: The first Unimog series to receive a truck engine was the 406-series in 1963. All engines use the Diesel principle , except for engines used for the Unimog 404-series and the first four Unimog prototypes, which use the Otto principle . The following engines were used as of 1947, with M being Otto and OM being Diesel engines (the list is incomplete): Traditionally, three different cab options were available for

18860-449: The first Unimog was equipped with 6.5–18 in tyres designed for both on- and offroad use. Later, bigger wheels and tyres with different tread patterns were available, reaching from agricultural tractor tread patterns to massive bar tyre treads to low pressure ballon tyre treads. Until 1973, drum brakes were standard for all Unimogs, until they were replaced by disc brakes, however, until 1989, drum brakes remained an option for Unimogs of

19024-519: The first cabs were made by Westfalia in Rheda-Wiedenbrück and then shipped to the Unimog plant in Gaggenau for assembly. These cabs are known as Westfalia type B or simply Froschauge ('frog's eye'). Starting in 1957, a new cab with 30% more volume, called Westfalia type DvF , Typ D, verbreitertes Fahrerhaus (Type D, widened cab), was used. Both Westfalia cabs were fairly narrow and came with

19188-420: The gearbox, namely F-layout and G-layout as well as their upgraded layouts, not having particular names. The F-layout is the original gearbox layout and is limited to the first two gears in the first range as it does not have selector sleeves, meaning that in total there are six forward gears. Instead of a reverse gear, the gearbox has its direction gear, which, in theory, can be used to reverse any gear. Due to

19352-570: The general staff for the Army and the chief of the air staff for the Royal Air Force . As of 1 July 2023 the British Armed Forces are a professional force with a total strength of 185,980 personnel, consisting of 140,300 UK Regulars and 4,140 Gurkhas , 33,210 Volunteer Reserves and 8,330 "Other Personnel". As a percentage breakdown of UK Service Personnel, 77.1% are UK Regulars and Gurkhas, 18.8% are Volunteer Reserves and 4.1% are composed of Other Personnel. In addition, all ex-Regular personnel retain

19516-628: The hostilities of the First World War (1914–1918), in what is recognised today, as the most devastating war in British military history, with nearly 800,000 men killed and over 2 million wounded. Allied victory resulted in the defeat of the Central Powers , the end of the German Empire, the Treaty of Versailles and the establishment of the League of Nations . Although Germany had been defeated during

19680-584: The lack of a North American sales and support network. Most Unimog models found in North America have been imported by individual dealers or independent enthusiasts. Between 1975 and 1980 the Case Corporation (now merged into CNH Global ) imported the U-900 model into the United States and sold it through Case tractor dealerships as the MB4/94. In 2002 DaimlerChrysler tried to re-enter the North American market with

19844-526: The lacking shifting sleeves however, the reverse direction can only be used in the first range, which itself is limited to the first two gears, resulting in only two reverse gears (resulting in six forward and two reverse gears). To operate the gearbox, there is only one shift lever with a six-speed H-layout, the gearbox shifts its ranges automatically. An additional shift lever is used for shifting into reverse. The G-layout has an additional reduction gearbox, which can be used in all gears. This effectively doubles

20008-455: The later half of the 17th century, and in particular, throughout the 18th century, British foreign policy sought to contain the expansion of rival European powers through military, diplomatic and commercial means, especially of its chief competitors Spain , the Netherlands , and France . This saw Britain engage in a number of intense conflicts over colonial possessions and world trade, including

20172-451: The market. Daimler AG cited non-compliance with EPA07 emission requirements as the main reason for ceasing North American sales. Unimogs have been used in three kinds of competition: Dakar Rally and other desert rally competitions , mud bogging , and slow-moving Truck Trials over obstacles. Unimogs have won the truck class of the Dakar in 1982 and 1986, the latter an unexpected victory as

20336-469: The mid-1970s, the armed forces had reconfigured to focus on the responsibilities allocated to them by NATO. The British Army of the Rhine and RAF Germany consequently represented the largest and most important overseas commitments that the armed forces had during this period, while the Royal Navy developed an anti-submarine warfare specialisation, with a particular focus on countering Soviet submarines in

20500-484: The new Boxer mechanised infantry vehicle from 2024. The four battalions of the Parachute Regiment , forming 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team and part of Special Forces Support Group , are the British Army's elite airborne infanteers, held at high readiness and specialising in rapid deployment by parachute and helicopter, widely regarded as the "fittest, most aggressive, resilient and disciplined regiment in

20664-538: The new Dominion government following the 1867 Confederation of Canada , and naval control transferred in 1905 to what was to become the Royal Canadian Navy ) rapidly faded. The Bermuda-based North America and West Indies Station was abolished in 1956, and the last regular army units removed from the Bermuda Command in 1957 (leaving only two part-time reserve units), with the naval dockyard in Bermuda reduced to

20828-424: The new frame would improve the torsion performance, which is why all following Unimog series also received a frame with a drop. Several mounting brackets, additional cross members and tool boards were offered as factory options for the frame. The Unimog has live front and rear axles that have portal gears ( portal axles ). Such axles have a lifted axle centre, but the wheels' centre remains unchanged, meaning that

20992-408: The new light series 407 and medium series 417, which ought to replace all Unimog 406-related series. 407- and 417-series were replaced after just four years, in 1992, with the 408- and 418-series. in 2000, these two models were replaced with the current 405 implement carrier series, making the 437.4 and the 405 the only remaining Unimog series. Like other trucks, but unlike agricultural tractors,

21156-489: The note Universal-Motor-Gerät on one of the technical drawings for the Unimog. Later, the Universal-Motor-Gerät was shortened to the acronym Unimog . On 20 November 1946, the name Unimog was officially unveiled. Since 1952, Unimog has been a brand of Daimler Truck . The Unimog's characteristic design element is its chassis : a flexible ladder frame with short overhangs, and coil sprung beam portal axles with

21320-406: The number of gears (twelve forward and four reverse gears). This reduction gearbox was also available with an additional crawler gear, which can only be used in the first range (twenty forward and eight reverse gears). As of 1976, shifting sleeves were added and a four-speed-H-layout replaced the six-speed-H-layout, which allows using all gears in all ranges. With the introduction of the UG-3-gearbox,

21484-538: The operator to see the terrain and more easily manipulate mounted tools. The newest implement carrier Unimog models can be changed from left-hand drive to right-hand drive in the field to permit operators to work on the more convenient side of the truck. The ability to operate on highways enables the Unimog to be returned to a home garage or yard to thwart vandalism. Unimogs can be equipped with front and rear tool mounting brackets and hydraulic connections to allow bucket loaders and hydraulic arms to be used. Most units have

21648-427: The optional extended cabin, also of workers. They can be equipped with a backhoe , front loader , or other contracting equipment. On railroads , Unimogs are used as rail car movers and road-rail vehicles . They have also been used in mining areas, like seen in Gold Bridge, BC , Canada. In agriculture , Unimogs are used to operate farm equipment . While most farm field implement operations are now performed by

21812-402: The other recognised nuclear weapon states, the United Kingdom operates only a submarine-based delivery system, having decommissioned its tactical WE.177 free-fall bombs in 1998. The House of Commons voted on 18 July 2016 in favour of replacing the Vanguard -class submarines with a new generation of Dreadnought -class submarines . The programme will also contribute to extending the life of

21976-402: The practice was discontinued in the 1990s, those who were appointed to the position of CDS had been elevated to the most senior rank in their respective service. The CDS, along with the permanent under secretary, are the principal military advisers to the secretary of state. All three services have their own respective professional chiefs; the First Sea Lord for the Royal Navy , the chief of

22140-412: The problem of engine heat causing high cabin temperatures. The first Unimog that was designed with a cab was the series 406. Just for the purpose of manufacturing cabs, Daimler-Benz built a new 1000- Megapond -sheet-panel-press in the Unimog plant. It was planned that the double cab parts would also be produced with this press, instead, the double cabs were manufactured by Wackenhut in Nagold. In 1974,

22304-451: The product line was sold to Werner Forst- und Industrietechnik. Werner continues to produce it as the WF trac . The Unimog also serves as a technical platform for armoured vehicles like the ATF Dingo , a mine-protected utility and reconnaissance vehicle used by the German and other European Armed Forces (e.g. Belgium) for territorial defence purposes as well as in international missions. In late Autumn 1956, Daimler-Benz started developing

22468-406: The regular British Armed Forces, though the naval and military establishment in the colony (now termed a British Overseas Territory ) has been reduced to several Royal Naval patrol craft, the locally raised Royal Gibraltar Regiment , and a Royal Air Force Station without aircraft based on it. The British Armed Forces today maintain a number of overseas garrisons and military facilities which enable

22632-424: The regular army and the forces it absorbed, though British military units organised on Territorial lines remain in British Overseas Territories that are still not considered formally part of the British Army, with only the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and the Royal Bermuda Regiment (an amalgam of the old Bermuda Militia Artillery and Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps) appearing on the British Army order of precedence and in

22796-400: The same principle, and having four gears and two ranges (called groups ) and an additional direction gear. Those designs were UG-1/xx , UG-2/xx , and UG-3/xx . UG is an abbreviation for Unimog-Getriebe (Unimog-Gearbox) , the number after the slash resembles the input torque in kp·m (=9.80665 N·m). Until 1955, the Unimog base gearbox UG-1 was a constant-mesh countershaft gearbox, it

22960-478: The six-cylinder pre-combustion chamber Diesel engine OM 312 producing 65 PS (48 kW; 64 hp). The 406 and 416 are similar, The 416 having a longer 2,900 mm (114 in) wheelbase compared to 2,380 mm (94 in) for the 406. Starting in 1964, the 406-series was equipped with the direct injected OM 352 Diesel engine starting with 65 PS (48 kW; 64 hp) and going up to 84 PS (62 kW; 83 hp) (110 PS (81 kW) for

23124-401: The standard gearbox-shifter-layout was changed to an eight-speed-H-H-layout, with eight gears on one lever, without any additional switches. When shifting from "4th" into "5th" gear, the gearbox automatically shifts into range 2 and back into gear 1. Crawler gearboxes were offered as a factory option for the UG-3 gearbox as well, resulting in 24 gears. The design with the additional direction gear

23288-412: The straight-four and straight-six direct injected Diesel engines OM 314 and OM 352, ranging from 54 to 110 PS (40–81 kW). The light series 421 and 431 share their frame design with the 411-series, but borrow their drivetrain and cab design from the 406-series, which is why they also count as 406-related Unimogs. The heavy series Unimogs were introduced in 1974, and first featured

23452-407: The three-point linkages. As of October 1961, a hydraulics system became an option, and as of 1963, the hydraulics system became standard, but unlike the pneumatics system, the hydraulics system was made by Westinghouse Air Brake Company in Hannover . With the introduction of the hydraulics system, the pneumatics system was solely used for operating the brakes. The Unimog was never meant to be

23616-462: The traditional Unimog from Boehringer, Daimler-Benz started making the Unimog S series in the mid-1950s and added light, medium and heavy series to the model lineup in the 1960s and 1970s, before they successively reduced the available models during the 1990s to end up with the modern implement carrier and the heavy series today. Originally, the traditional Unimog 70200 was a rather small agricultural tractor, measuring just 3520 mm in length. It

23780-476: The twentieth century served to reduce tensions between Britain and the Russian Empire, partly due to the emergence of a unified German Empire . The era brought about an Anglo-German naval arms race which encouraged significant advancements in maritime technology (e.g. Dreadnoughts , torpedoes and submarines ), and in 1906, Britain had determined that its only likely naval enemy was Germany. The accumulated tensions in European relations finally broke out into

23944-404: The united Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707 (later succeeded by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , and finally by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ), the British Armed Forces have seen action in most major wars involving the world's great powers , including the Seven Years' War , the American War of Independence , the Napoleonic Wars , the Crimean War ,

24108-419: The use of the armed forces. The sovereign retains the power to prevent the unconstitutional use of the armed forces, including that of its nuclear arsenal . The Ministry of Defence is the government department charged with formulating and executing defence policy. It currently employs 56,860 civilian staff members as of 1 October 2015. The department is administered by the secretary of state for defence who

24272-436: The vehicle participated for Honda, primarily to provide support for the motorcycles of the team. High-powered factory-sponsored entries of truck companies aiming for the overall win have since taken the laurels, with Unimogs used mainly for service purposes. In 1968 the Unimog department in Gaggenau began development of the MB-trac , a tractor based on the Unimog 403 drivetrain. It was produced by Daimler-Benz until 1991, when

24436-436: The world where required to guard against invasion or rebellion, reinforced in some colonies by locally raised reserve forces. In colonies where there was no strategic requirement, regular forces were rarely stationed, with local governments encouraged to maintain and fund military reserve units as contributions to their own defence (although these units were ultimately under the control of the national, i.e. British, Government via

24600-435: Was a licensed version of the civilian series 421, was also used as a military vehicle, mainly as a self-propelled howitzer . Another civilian Unimog that was mainly used a military vehicle, is the series 418. The military Unimogs are used as troop transportation vehicles, ambulances , and mobile command centers equipped with military communications equipment . The United States Marine Corps and United States Army uses

24764-672: Was a mounted force that could be mobilised in times of war or emergency. Volunteer Force units were also frequently raised during wartime, which did not rely on compulsory service and hence attracted recruits keen to avoid the Militia. These were seen as a useful way to add to military strength economically during wartime, but otherwise as a drain on the Militia and so were not normally maintained in peacetime, although in Bermuda prominent propertied men were still appointed Captains of Forts , taking charge of maintaining and commanding fortified coastal artillery batteries and manned by volunteers (reinforced in wartime by embodied militiamen), defending

24928-416: Was also based on the RL. The RL and variants continued to serve alongside the later Bedford MK and Bedford TM trucks until well into the 1990s. The Home Office also purchased a large number of these vehicles, kept in reserve for any national emergency. All have now since been disposed of, many having less than 2,000 miles (3,220 km) on the clock. In Australia, R series Bedfords were used during

25092-441: Was available as an option from 1953, making the Unimog a true all-weather vehicle. In 1955, the first Unimog 404 S series were produced. The primary customer of the 404 S was the Bundeswehr (literally Federal Defence , i.e. the West German Armed Forces), which was created in the mid-1950s in the era of the Cold War . The 404 was intended to be a mobile cross-country truck , instead of an agricultural implement. The 404 S

25256-443: Was cramped, and in any case a four-man detachment was far too small for any sort of realistic military purpose. Other considerations were that the FN MAG gunner's position was too exposed. Eventually the Unimog Scout Cars arrived in Ireland in February 1972, their departure having been delayed by a local peace group who thought they were destined for the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA). By mid-1978 all had been transferred to

25420-924: Was designed with rear-wheel drive and switchable front-wheel drive, with equal-size wheels, in order to be driven on roads at higher speeds than standard farm tractors . With their very high ground clearance and a flexible frame that is essentially a part of the suspension, Unimogs are not designed to carry as much load as regular trucks. Due to their off-road capabilities, Unimogs can be found in jungles, mountains and deserts as military vehicles, fire fighters, expedition campers, and even in competitions like truck trials and Dakar Rally rally raids . In Western Europe, they are commonly used as snowploughs , municipal equipment carriers, agricultural implements, forest ranger vehicles, construction equipment or road–rail vehicles and as army personnel or equipment carriers (in its armoured military version). New Unimogs can be purchased in one of two series: medium series 405 , also known as

25584-505: Was kept, which means that all 24 gears can also be used in reverse mode. Since the highest final gear ratio allows top speeds of up to 110 km/h, and the reverse gear only comes with a small reduction of 1:1.03, the top speed in reverse mode is more than 100 km/h. To prevent such high reverse speeds, a lock for the second range was available as a factory option, allowing only the first range (gears "1" to "4") in reverse mode. The initial Unimogs were equipped with passenger car engines,

25748-401: Was only offered as a Cabrio with a canvas roof. The engine power output of 25 PS (18 kW) proved to be insufficient for many applications. To accommodate customer needs, a longer wheelbase version, a proper cab and more powerful engines (up to 34 PS (25 kW)) were introduced soon after Daimler-Benz took over Unimog manufacture; the traditional Unimog evolved into its final stage,

25912-572: Was only one. The oldest of these organisations was the Militia Force (also referred to as the Constitutional Force ), which (in the Kingdom of England ) was originally the main military defensive force (there otherwise were originally only royal bodyguards, including the Yeomen Warders and the Yeomen of the Guard , with armies raised only temporarily for expeditions overseas), made up of civilians embodied for annual training or emergencies, and had used various schemes of compulsory service during different periods of its long existence. The Militia

26076-419: Was ordered to develop an entirely new Unimog just for military purposes. This new model was supposed to be a small 1.5-tonne truck, capable of carrying 10 to 12 soldiers on its bed, at a speed of up to 90 km/h, rather than being an agricultural tractor. Being a NATO member state, France demanded that the military Unimog would have an engine running on petrol. Daimler-Benz decided to use an Otto cycle engine,

26240-407: Was originally a separate force from these, but absorbed the Ordnance Military Corps and various previously civilian departments after the Board of Ordnance was abolished in 1855. The Reserve Forces (which referred to the Home Yeomanry, Militia and Volunteer Forces before the 1859 creation of the British Army Regular Reserve by Secretary of State for War Sidney Herbert , and re-organised under

26404-405: Was originally an all infantry force, organised at the city or county level, and members were not required to serve outside of their recruitment area, although the area within which militia units in Britain could be posted was increased to anywhere in the Britain during the 18th century, and Militia coastal artillery , field artillery, and engineers units were introduced from the 1850s. The Yeomanry

26568-440: Was permanently suspended after the First World War (although a handful of Militia units survived in the United Kingdom, its colonies, and the Crown Dependencies). Unlike the Home, Imperial Fortress and Crown Dependency Militia and Volunteer units and forces that continued to exist after the First World War, although parts of the British military, most were not considered parts of the British Army unless they received Army funds (as

26732-433: Was the case for the Bermuda Militia Artillery and the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps ), which was generally only the case for those in the Channel Islands or the Imperial Fortress colonies (Nova Scotia, before Canadian confederation , Bermuda, Gibraltar, and Malta). Today, the British Army is the only Home British military force (unless the Army Cadet Force and the Combined Cadet Force are considered), including both

26896-471: Was then upgraded with synchroniser rings to a synchromesh gearbox. However, the synchromesh-version was only used for the 404-series , and the constant-mesh version remained the standard gearbox for the 411-series. In 1957, the synchromesh-version became an option for the 411-series, before it became the standard gearbox for all Unimogs in 1959. The following gearbox versions UG-2 and UG-3 were made as synchromesh versions only. There are different layouts of

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