WeaponSpecs
IFV / APC South Africa flagSouth Africa Legacy

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

7.62 NATO

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.

Compare with rivals

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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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