KSK Serval Special OPs vehicle

[Guardian 5]

Gents - the Rheinmetall Serval, a Light Infantry Vehicle for Special Operations (LIV[SO]) developed for the Kommando Spezialkraefte(KSK), was the feature vehicle for the March 2009 edition of "Military Machines" magazine.

If the new and modern Bundeswehr is your area of interest, then I would highly recommend this detail crammed article by Ralph Zwilling.

The vehicle takes it name from the African Wild Cat. Here are some key features of the KSK Serval:
Chassis: Mercedes-Benz G 280 CDI
Range: 800 km
Engine: MT 270 EURO III 5-Cylinder Diesel
Armament: 1 M2 12.7mm Machine Gun or 1 H&K 40mm Automatic grenade launcher; 2 x 7.62 MG3 machine guns

Gerry can collectors (we know you're out there) note the yellow tops on the diesel gerry cans.

All-in-all a very impressive vehicle developed from combat lessons learned by KSK personnel deployed to Afghanistan.

TJ

[Guardian 5]

A rear view of the KSK Serval. All pictures are from the March 2009 edition of "Military Machines" magazine.

[Guardian 5]

The vehicle driver. He is wearing a MOLLE plate carrier and is armed with an H&K 9mm P8 pistol. His headgear consists of a TC-2002 MICH Helmet, Peltor Com Tac XS Headset & Bolle X-800R Goggles.

Not one detail of vehicle or crew equipment was overlooked by the "Military Machines" editorial staff or author Ralph Zwilling.

TJ

[Gordon Craig]

TJ,

Interesting vehicle. The comment about the yellow tops on the Gerry cans is also of interest. While doing some research related to the recent comments on Gerry cans in Hugh's Type 181 I found some cans for sale on the internet with yellow tops the same as shown in the picture you posted. This raises the question of the purpose of painting them yellow. Does the article mention why?

Regards,

Gordon

[Hugh Zillmann old]

Hello Gentlemen,

Yellow-topped cans.......mmm. I like Thomas' comment:-

"........ note the yellow tops on the diesel gerry cans".

The colour is evidently there for a purpose. In the Australian Army (back in the 1970's) we marked 'cans as being either diesel or ordinary (petrol) fuel, ie. by the expedient of affixing stickers. Which brings me back to my question about the "K" on my can..........

Cheers,

Hugh

[Gordon Craig]

Hugh,

Ok so I cann't read! Diesel Gerry cans then in the BW for diesel.

Regards,

Gordon

[euro19723]

"Which brings me back to my question about the "K" on my can.........."

Hugh, I think K could stand for Kerosene which is frequently used as fuel for heating stoves in the military.

Cheers
Erik