New Armoured Personnel Carrier on the way
The Police Tactical Unit (PTU) is taking delivery of six purpose built Mercedes Benz Unimog U5000 armoured personnel carriers (APC). Introduction of these impressive, state-of-the-art armoured vehicles is the result of a joint project undertaken by the Force's Transport Division and PTU HQ, and will see replacement of the current Saxon APC, which has served the Force and countless PTU officers.
The new armoured Unimog will take up all current functions of the Saxon, including its primary role of carrying personnel in emergencies. In doing so however, it will provide significantly enhanced response capabilities and a very high level of ballistic protection.
In terms of technical specifications, the new APC is based on the four-wheel drive, Mercedes-Benz Unimog U5000 chassis which has been fully armoured by Centigon, a world-renowned manufacturer of bespoke armoured vehicles. The Unimog, which has off-road capabilities, is powered by an environment-friendly diesel engine.
As it is the case with the current Saxon APC, the Unimog will be based at PTU HQ's Fanling base under the command of the Commandant PTU. Following a brief familiarisation and training period for operational personnel at PTU HQ, the new Unimogs will be ready for commissioning and subsequent operational development into service, whilst the older Saxon vehicles will be decommissioned, marking the end of their 21 years of solid and dependable service with the Force.
The new Armoured Personnel Carrier being given a finishing touch before coming into service