Gepanzerte Pioniermaschine (GPM) was the design for two prototype armored engineer vehicles for the Bundeswehr.
At the end of the 1960s, it was determined hitherto the forward troops demanded a better answer than the Pionierpanzer 2 currently in use, and in 1972, research began on the development of an improved successor. The firms Eisenwerke Kaiserslautern (EWK, now Santa Barbara Systems, a division of General Dynamics) and Maschinenbau Kiel (MAK) were each commissioned to build prototypes.
Hull, running gear, and drivetrain were derived from the Bergepanzer 2A1.
Due to the overweight of the system, the engine compartment was covered with an aluminum plate
With the digging shovel sideways, despite suggestions, it is incapable of digging the road out from under itself.
Front-mounted dozer blade, operated by two pivoting hydraulic telescopic arms
Usually the driver operates with the right telescoping arm and the operator with the left telescoping arm. The operator was able to work with both telescoping arms and oversteering the driver.
Trials were carried out between 1976 and 1980 and were successfully completed at the Pionierschule (Army School for Engineers and Construction) in Munich (now in Ingolstadt) and at Bundeswehr Engineers Equipment an Fuel Transportation Systems Test Center (ErprSt 51/now WTD 51), Koblenz.
Several problems remained unresolved:
Bundeswehr decided instead of developing the Pionierpanzer Dachs, it would work on improving the existing PiPz 1. The main outstanding task is the replacement of the single arm crane of the PiPz 1 with the EWKs telescoping shovel.
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