Brazilian marines receive first U 5000 all-terrain trucks

The Brazilian Navy Marine Corps received its first delivery of 12 Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG U 5000 4×4 5-tonne trucks on 18 January, the Marine Materiel Command told Janes.

This initial batch is part of a November 2020 deal between the government and Daimler Truck valued at EUR18.5 million (USD20.9 million). Under the contract, the company will deliver 90 U 5000s: 67 general transport trucks, six water tank trucks, six fuel tank trucks, four trucks with a hydraulic loading crane, three with a cold storage shelter, and four dump trucks.

Additional lot deliveries with 10 trucks in each are scheduled for in 2022, 2023, and 2024, then 15 vehicles will be delivered in 2025, 18 in 2026 and a final batch of 15 in 2027.

This new fleet will gradually replace 148 U 2150L/38 trucks received between 1999 and 2003 for the Fleet Marine Force.

The UNIMOG U 5000 chassis is equipped with an OM 924 LA diesel engine, a gearbox with eight forward and six reverse gears, and a two-speed transfer case with 16 forward and 12 reverse gears. The Brazilian vehicles also include a hatch in the unarmoured cabin for a weapon mount, air conditioning and ventilation system, spare wheel, brackets in the cabin for assault rifles, fire extinguisher, first aid kit and fuel jerrycans. Several vehicles are equipped with a front towing winch.

The truck bodies for the Brazilian U 5000s are supplied by EMPL Fahrzeugwerk.