Denel Aviation
Casspir
One of the earliest purpose-built mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles, developed in South Africa to counter landmine warfare during the Border War. Its V-shaped hull design became foundational to the modern global MRAP category.
In service since 1980 · 15 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
90
km/h
850
km range
7.6
mm gun
12,500
kg
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to South Africa export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 15 operators
In service since 1980. Status: legacy · ~2,400 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 90 km/h Stronger than 53% of IFVs
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 850 km Top 8% of IFVs
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 7.62 mm machine gun (pintle-mounted)
- Caliber
Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.
- 7.6 mm
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
- Armor
Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.
- V-hull mine-protected steel monocoque
- NBC protection
Sealed crew compartment with overpressure filtration for nuclear/biological/chemical environments.
- No
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 6.9 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 12,500 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 2
- Troop capacity
Number of embarked troops/passengers (IFV, APC, transport). Higher carries more.
- 12 Top 3% of IFVs
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- ADE 352T turbo-diesel
- Engine power
Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.
- 123 hp Bottom 3% of IFVs
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Diesel (wheeled 4x4)
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 2,400 Stronger than 74% of IFVs
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 15 Top 10% of IFVs
Specifications compiled from public Denel Aviation and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Denel Aviation Casspir? +
The Denel Aviation Casspir has a maximum speed of 90 km/h.
What is the range of the Denel Aviation Casspir? +
The Denel Aviation Casspir has a maximum range of 850 km.
How much does the Denel Aviation Casspir weigh? +
The Denel Aviation Casspir has a combat weight of 12,500 kg.
How many crew does the Denel Aviation Casspir require? +
The Denel Aviation Casspir requires a crew of 2.
What is the main armament of the Denel Aviation Casspir? +
The Denel Aviation Casspir's primary weapon is the 7.62 mm machine gun (pintle-mounted).
What engine does the Denel Aviation Casspir use? +
The Denel Aviation Casspir is powered by the ADE 352T turbo-diesel.
What is the Denel Aviation Casspir used for? +
The Denel Aviation Casspir is a ifv / apc typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the Denel Aviation Casspir? +
The Denel Aviation Casspir is operated by 15 countries.
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