*Athanasios Tsakalos

The German ACS Armoured Car Systems will participate in this year’s Defence Exhibition DEFEA 2023 showcasing its modular, light, and tactical vehicle ENOK 4.8 AB (AirBorne).

ENOK Light Armoured Patrol Vehicle (LAPV) is a light armored vehicle in service with the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). 

The said system was approved in 2008 and a first batch of 247 vehicles was ordered by the Bundeswehr, while another batch of 84 upgraded, heavier ENOKs (ENOK 6.1) with enhanced armor was ordered in January 2015. Forty-nine (49) of them have been delivered to the German Special Forces. In August 2018, the German Police ordered another configuration of ENOK 6.1s equipped with remote-controlled weapon stations to be used as armored vehicles for airport security tasks.

The ENOK family of vehicles includes some quite interesting configurations:

• ENOK AB Tankhunter (with Spike guided missiles) 
• ENOK 5.4 for military police missions
• ENOK 6.1 (with remote-controlled turret Rheinmetall MG3 or HK GMG)
• ENOK 9.5 
• ENOK 14.8

ENOK 4.8 AB technical characteristics:

• Engine: 185 kW diesel power engine
• Maximum speed: 120 km/h
• Maximum gradient: 60%
• Length: 4,7 meters
• Weight: 1,9  meters
• Height: 1,85 meters 
• Protection level: up to STANAG 1
• Personnel transport capacity: 2 – 8 people
• Payload: up to 2,200 kg

At this point, it should be noted that with regard to the anti-tank variant (Tankhunter) of the ENOK airborne vehicle, the German company ACS is about to start mass production, as Sebastian Schaubeck, CEO of ACS, confirmed to the website Soldat und Technik in response to a request of a European customer (anonymous) for the production of 60 vehicles.

The Hellenic Armed Forces and the National Guard have always used Mercedes-Benz vehicles, particularly the Mercedes G-Glass, the chassis of which is used by ACS for the ENOK 4.8 AB.

According to ACS, the vehicle has a good price-performance ratio in the European market.

In the article below, you can read about Rheinmetall’s Caracal vehicle, which is also based on ENOK AB and debuted at Eurosatory 2022.

Also read: EUROSATORY 2022 | Caracal – Rheinmetall joins the market of special operations vehicles