The DAF YP-408 is a Dutch 8×6 armoured personnel carrier, with three out of four axles driven by the typical DAF
H-drive
An H-drive drivetrain is a system used for heavy off-road vehicles with Six-wheel drive, 6×6 or Eight-wheel drive, 8×8 drive to supply power to each wheel station.
H-drives do not use axles but rather individual wheel stations, usually carried ...
. It has a 6-litre,
6-cylinder diesel engine
The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which Combustion, ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to Mechanics, mechanical Compr ...
with a 5-speed gearbox and a 2-speed
transfer case
A transfer case is an intermediate gearbox that transfers power from the transmission of a motor vehicle to the driven axles of four-wheel-drive, all-wheel-drive, and other multi-axled on- and off-road machines. A part of the vehicle's drivetr ...
.
Prototypes were developed in the late 1950s, with the production of 750 vehicles taking place in the 1960s. The YP-408 entered service in 1964 and remained in use with the Dutch army until 1987. A number of vehicles serving with the
Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army (, KL) is the Ground warfare, land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the was raised making the Dutch standing a ...
in Suriname were handed to the new
Surinamese army
The Surinamese Land Forces () is the land component of the Suriname National Army (SNA). It is the largest service branch of the Suriname National Army.
Organization
The army consists of some 1,000 personnel and has 4 Division (military), div ...
when that country became independent in 1975.
The
Portuguese Air Force
The Portuguese Air Force () is the air force, aerial warfare force of Portugal. Locally it is referred to by the acronym FAP but internationally is often referred to by the acronym PRTAF. It is the youngest of the three branches of the Portuguese ...
received 28 ex-Dutch examples in 1992. These were used by its ''
Polícia Aérea
The (Portuguese language, Portuguese for "Air Police") or PA is the air force ground forces and special forces and military police of the Portuguese Air Force.
The Air Police has as its main symbol the blue beret with the emblem of the Air Forc ...
'' (
military police
Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. Not to be confused with civilian police, who are legally part of the civilian populace. In wartime operations, the military police may supp ...
), in the air base security role, until the early 2000s.
Variants
*YP-408 PWI-S /Pantserwiel Infanterie Standaard: Basic version with a two-man crew (driver and gunner), able to carry up to ten passengers and armed with a Browning HB 12.7mm HMG.
[Foss (1976), pp. 255-256.] Of the 429 vehicles produced, around 84 were later converted to other roles (see below).
In reality, this version consisted of two near identical models:
**YP-408 PWI-S(GR)/Pantserwiel Infanterie Standaard (Groep): This was used to carry an armoured infantry section.
**YP-408 PWI-S(PC)/Pantserwiel Infanterie Standaard (Pelotonscommando): Platoon commander's variant fitted with an RT 3600 Radio and a pair of antennae.
[Foss (1976), p. 256.]
*YP-408 PWCO /Pantserwiel Commando: Command vehicle fitted with additional radios and a desk equipped with special lighting.
Crew comprised six men.
179 were built.
*YP-408 PWGWT /Pantserwiel Gewondentransport: Unarmed version with a three-man crew (driver, signaller and a medic) able to carry up to six wounded soldiers (two on stretchers and four seated).
28 were built.
*YP-408 PWV /Pantserwiel Vracht: Cargo vehicle capable of carrying a 1,500 kg payload.
28 were built.
*YP-408 PWMR /Pantserwiel Mortier: Mortar transporter that towed a 120 mm mortar.
Besides the driver and gunner, the vehicle carried a five-man mortar detachment and 50 shells.
86 were built.
* YP-408 PWAT /Pantserwiel Antitank: Anti-tank vehicle with a centrally mounted
TOW missile
The BGM-71 TOW ("Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided", pronounced ) is an American anti-tank missile. TOW replaced much smaller missiles like the SS.10 and ENTAC, offering roughly twice the effective range, a more powerful warhead, ...
launcher instead of an MG mount.
The vehicle, which had a four-man crew, was a conversion of the basic YP-408 PWI-S.
Approximately 55 were produced.
*YP-408 PWRDR /Pantserwiel Radar: This version carried a
Marconi ZB-298 Battlefield Surveillance Radar that could be mounted on the roof behind the MG mounting, or detached and mounted on a tripod.
The vehicle, which had a four-man crew, was a conversion of the basic YP-408 PWI-S.
Approximately 29 were produced.
Notes
Citations
References
*
Further reading
*
External links
"Armoured car - the wheeled fighting vehicle newsletter" pages 9 & 10, issue #32, December 1995;, article by J. w. l. Heesakkers"DAF YP408 Forgotten hero?"
{{Modern IFV and APC
Wheeled armoured personnel carriers
Armoured fighting vehicles of the Netherlands
Military vehicles introduced in the 1960s
Eight-wheeled vehicles
Armoured personnel carriers of the Cold War