The Unimog is an all-wheel drive small truck with portal axles that is primarily used as an implement carrier. It is used in sectors such as agriculture and forestry, for local authorities and municipalities as well as the military. The vehicle has been developed since 1945 and is assigned to a Mercedes-Benz vehicle series under the name "Unimog".
Originally designed as an agricultural vehicle, the Unimog was quickly used in other areas due to its excellent off-road capabilities and was continuously developed further. Between the 1950s and 1970s, the German army made particularly intensive use of the Unimog 404 series, making these models among the best-known of their kind. Special vehicle construction for the military was also used here. For example, the Unimog 405.110 and the Unimog 419 were designed exclusively for military purposes. However, ballistic protection is only included in special models, as the Bundeswehr primarily uses the Unimog for transportation, for example to set up a Bundeswehr field camp.
The Unimog was also used as a self-propelled gun carriage, so that a gun could be mounted on the transport platform to fire from there. Chassis from the heavier series, including the 437.1 and 437.4 models, also serve as the basis for various other military vehicles. These include, for example, the ATF Dingo, which has been used regularly by the German Armed Forces since the 2000s at the latest.
