The German military celebrated “Tag der Bundeswehr”, or “Bundeswehr Day”, on June 28. Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks joined the festivities by bringing a Unimog that was converted into an ambulance truck to one of the events in Diez.

The Diez event took place at the Schloss Oranienstein palace and led by the Bundeswehr’s Joint Medical Service. Of course, the Unimog was a natural fit here alongside the model field hospital and medical equipment.

EMPL Fahrzeugwerk GmbH was responsible for the build. The German-Austrian company develops and modifies trucks for civil industries like construction and distribution, as well as emergency services such as firefighting and riot control. On the defense side, EMPL makes a litany of machinery ranging from recovery vehicles and troop carriers to tankers and mobile hospitals.

Their Unimog is capable of holding up to six seated patients and four lying down when fully equipped. Said gear includes oxygen tanks, air filtration system, auxilairy heating, as well as other items to help the vehicle navigate rough terrain like an 80 kN hydraulic winch and snow chains.

It has a torsion-free box body with insulating panels and complies with European standard EN1789, the basic requirement for ambulances. The lighting has also been modified to reduce glare and a camouflage light mode is available.

“The Mercedes-Benz Unimog and Zetros truck series have been part of the Bundeswehr fleet for decades as all-terrain vehicles,” reads a statement from Daimler Truck. “These include numerous ambulances with the three-pointed star, similar to the model on display. For many years, they have also been used on international missions, where they have proven their robustness and operational suitability. BwFuhrparkService GmbH, the Bundeswehr’s mobility service provider, recently placed an order with Daimler Truck: The manufacturer is to deliver a mid three-digit number of logistics vehicles within a year.”

Other clients of EMPL and Daimler who also use the Unimog ambulance trucks include Austria’s Bundesheer and the Lithuanian Land Forces, the latter first receiving the Unimog U5000 fleet last fall through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency.

Tag der Bundeswehr has been held since 2015, making 2025 both the day’s ten-year anniversary (though 2020 and 2021 were canceled due to COVID-19) and the 70th birthday of the modern German military. It was celebrated at ten locations across Germany, each focusing on a different field:

• Bückeburg: Focused on the German Army Aviation Corps.
• Cologne: Site of the Luftwaffenkaserne Köln-Wahn barracks for German Air Force personnel.
• Delitzsch: Held at the Feldwebel-Boldt-Kaserne and the accompanying non-commissioned officer school.
• Freyung: Hosted by the 8th Reconnaissance Battalion.
• Greding: Held at the Bundeswehr Technical Center for Information Technology and Electronics (Wehrtechnischen Dienststelle für Informationstechnologie und Elektronik am Standort Greding). Exhibits for electromagnetic technology were shown.
• Jagel: Hosted by the Tactical Air Force Wing 51, nicknamed “Immelmann”.
• Neubrandenburg: Hosted by the 41st Panzergrenadier Brigade.
• Osterholz-Scharmbeck: A general program that included military vehicle ridealongs and interactive programs.
• Stralsund: Held in the city harbor, focusing on the Navy.

Featured image credit: Daimler Truck AG