With demand from the defense industry increasing, Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks plans to up its truck production in the coming months.

“Step by step, we are expanding our business in the defense sector,” said MBST head Franziska Cusumano. “We have developed a clear strategy for this following the motto ‘Grow and Invest’. The contracts concluded and the vehicles handed over in large numbers last year underline that our logistics solutions are tailored to the needs of different customers and their various deployment scenarios.”

Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck to develop, as its name suggests, “special” trucks like heavy-duty haulers and extreme off-road vehicles. The famous Unimog line is part of its portfolio along with the Arocs and Zetros, all of which have seen military applications. The FGA chassis, which is used on vehicles like the ATF Dingo MRAP, is based on the Unimog’s.

The Arocs is a heavy-duty truck mainly designed for hauling construction supplies up to 250 tons. It comes in 6×6 and 8×8 versions, the former often being used as a tank transporter for militaries. Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces have over 40 Arocs that they received from Germany for their border guards.

The Zetros, meanwhile, was designed with military purpose in mind, particularly in “regions with limited infrastructure.”

Mercedes plans to bring two Zetros, particularly the 2036 A 4×4 and 3351 AS 6×6, an Arocs 4042 AS 6×6, and an FGA chassis to the International Defence Exhibition (IDEXX) in Abu Dhabi on February 17–21. The UAE and Middle East as a whole are of particular interest to MBST as it wants to attract customers in desert regions.

Featured image credit: Morlock-Fotografie