Dagger is a 4×4 light armoured vehicle, designed and manufactured by French defence solutions provider Arquus Defense (formerly Renault Trucks Defense).
Designed to meet the mission requirements of armed forces worldwide, the vehicle is currently operational with the French Army and other armies across Europe, Africa, and South America.
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Dagger is an export variant of the Petit Véhicule Protégé (PVP) vehicle developed by Panhard Defense for the French Army. It is used for troop transport, liaison, surveillance, and search-and-rescue (SAR) missions.
Capabilities of the Dagger unmanned version were demonstrated at the Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF) Summer Seminar held at HEC Business School in Jouy-en-Josas, France, in August 2018.
Dagger light-armoured vehicle variants
The light-armoured unit is available in four major variants for personnel transport, a liaison or command, a troop carrier, and an internal security vehicle.
Arquus is also developing an unnamed version of Dagger under its robotisation programme. The unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) prototype was tested in May 2018.
The troop transport variant can perform the duties of an ambulance, a command post vehicle, and a personnel carrier. It protects the infantry troops and can rapidly vacate the casualties from the battlefield.
An internal security variant can be used by law enforcement agencies and police forces to carry out patrolling and law enforcement missions.
The personnel transport vehicle is also intended for internal security operations, and can carry two crew members and six police forces.
The liaison or the command control vehicle is capable of performing reconnaissance, systems transport and surveillance missions.
Design and features of Dagger 4×4 light-armoured vehicle
Dagger light armoured vehicle is based on a reinforced tactical vehicle chassis, which integrates a 4×4 wheel drive layout with an all-wheel drive configuration.
Its conventional layout houses engine in the front, a crew cabin in the middle and a troop compartment at the rear. The vehicle offers superior off-road capability and angle of attack and exit.
The hull is fitted with a large windshield at the front, two doors on either side and an exit door at the rear for easy ingress and egress of troops.
Its maximum passenger carrying capacity of the troop transport vehicle is six, while the internal security and liaison vehicles can accommodate up to five and four occupants respectively.
Armament and self-protection features of Dagger 4×4
The light tactical vehicle features a roof-mounted weapon station, which can be armed with a 12.5mm or a 7.62mm machine gun. It features a single roof hatch for the gunner’s position. Other armament includes individual teargas grenade launchers and a multi-tube teargas grenade launcher.
Dagger 4×4 vehicle offers superior protection to the on-board crew and soldiers, in compliance with the STANAG 4569 standards. It protects the occupants from ballistic threats, bullet firings, shells, splinters, anti-tank mines, and improvised explosive devices (IED).
Protection levels can be further improved with the installation of jammers and nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) protection systems.
Dagger 4×4 Engine and performance
Dagger 4×4 light armoured vehicle is powered by a 170hp engine coupled to an automatic transmission system. It enhances the manoeuvrability of the vehicle when travelling in harsh weather conditions.
The power plant enables the vehicle to travel at a maximum speed of 105km/h and attain a maximum range of more than 700km.
The vehicle’s mobility is further enhanced by the onboard central tire inflation system (CTIS), which can be controlled from the crew cabin.
Dagger 4×4 vehicle has the ability to negotiate grades and side slopes of 50% and 30% respectively. It can ford water obstacles with a depth of 0.7m and can traverse vertical obstacles of 0.35m height and 0.5m-deep tranches.
It is air transportable by C-130 or A-400 military transport aircraft and can be easily deployed to the mission locations.
