British Marine Reacts To Wiesel: Meet Germany's small but lethal tank
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- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2024
- British Marine Reacts To Wiesel: Meet Germany's small but lethal tank
Original Video: • Wiesel: Meet Germany's...
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This is a vehicle designed primarily to support airborne troops. As a former Marine, what kind of vehicle do you expect? Of course it is small, light and therefore only lightly armored. But the Weasels fulfill every role an airborne force needs: easy to transport with troops, high mobility, low profile and great firepower. Don't make the mistake of underestimating this little bastard! Leopard crews have said that they were most afraid of these pesky critters during training!
They were wargaming with these things and a company of them vs a company of MBTs ended with a Wiesel victory. They never saw them coming and got ambushed from woodlines on their flanks. Before they could return fire, the Wiesels were already gone. They are fast, mobile, and nearly invisible, can traverse even dense forests and other challenging terrain.
Yep, it cannot be underestimated that you can move those huge launchers with ease through dense forest because that frickin' thing is so damn small. You always have to take measures against a stupid amount of firepower from unexpected places and angles.
Just as you said. Nearly invisible, due to low profile, absurd mobility even in rough terrain and forrests and more than enough firepower to severely ruin your day. :D
@@Crynogar Also they hunt in packs of four. So even if you see one Wiesel, there are probably three more you don't see.
When the German paratroopers introduced the Wiesel to other units from NATO countries, there was a lot of laughter. But that went away very quickly for the others. A vehicle that is absolutely appreciated by everyone
"Can you beat a Hilux..."
Yes. This thing is faster offroad, more robust, lower ground pressure, can travers trenches and dig through a lot more mud and stuff.
Haven't you had any wracks on your shooting range? Even a 5.56 will rip through a Hilux, kill everyone inside and behind it and render it immobile immediately. This thing provides adequate protection against 5.56 and 7.62, adequate cover behind it also for infantry and protects it's mobility a lot better. It is also more quiet and provides NBC protection when hatches are closed.
Last, but not least: An auto-cannon is a REAL asset when fighting both infantry and soft-skin targets. A Hilux with anything bigger than .50 in the back will move so much from the recoil that there is no way for you to do adequate bursts. This thing can do that just fine, while being as easy to maintain with civil parts due to its Volkswagen Diesel engines.
As others already commented: This thing might look goofy and kinda weird at first sight... until you find yourself on the receiving end of it.
In my opinion, the Wiesel is currently the most effective system in NATO's armored vehicles family.
You can clearly see in Ukraine that armor has become secondary as both sides have an enormous number of anti-tank weapons artillery and AP ammunition that reliably destroy tanks. Especially with the advent of FPVs, stealth and mobility have become more important than ever. A weasel is difficult to detect due to its size alone, it often drives under the radar because its silhouette can easily be confused with civilian cars and is therefore not given the necessary priority as a target. Due to its small size, it can also enter areas that other vehicles cannot. For example, it can drive through forests without major problems and does not leave as many tracks as a conventional tank. Its entire production is just as simple as many parts are taken from civilian production, such as the engine, and can therefore be replaced easily and cheaply. An experienced crew is able to replace the entire engine in 15 minutes in battle. Also this engine- u made fun of it that it sounds like a 50cc moped? Thats a great strangth! A tank u hear Miles away but this lil Bastard can sneak realy close to ur unit and than start to pull u into full Chaos before the Real attack threw the Leopard for example happend ;)
The Wiesel was developed as a reconnaissance vehicle and tank killer. Its long range and speed make it easy for it to outmaneuver the enemy and fall into its flank or rear and has a great synergy with Leopard 2. The Wiesel is a deadly and feared weapon - I don't know anyone who has gone up against it in NATO exercises and then had no respect for the system.
These Weasel were really feared by tank crews AND infantry in trainings because it can support Infantry in Urban territory and could be behind any corner with it's 20mm cannon. Remeber that it is the size of an Volkswagen Golf and has the firepower of an IFV. Also it was hard to spot for tank crews while it was luring somewhere with it's TOW launcher.
in urban and in forrest territory, where a regular size tank has a lot more challenges to drive.
@@ThorDyrden You won't find german airborne or mountaineers on an open field.
The "weasels" are very special weapon bearers that you either love or hate. Mostly depending on whether they fight on your side or the other. That's how a friend of mine who was a commander on the Leopard 2 for a long time explained it to me. He said they were very hard to spot and the crews were very capable. He said that if you were to detect them (during exercises), you would usually already have casualties and they would disappear again. In any case, he thought they were dangerous opponents that he only liked when they were on his side.
And by the way, the highlux is no comparison. Not even close. The Hilux has only one advantage: it's cheap. A wiesel is much more off-road capable, much faster off-road, less pressure on the ground, at least lightly armored, is a much more stable platform and much more. The Wiesel can carry a 20mm cannon and is able to cope with the recoil. A hilux with a 50mm gun is a toy in comparison.
😅Hello, during my time in the Bundeswehr I sometimes drove as a referee who assessed units in a war practice session. There I was able to see for myself what a company of weasels can do. If used correctly they are devastating. As they hardly need any cover they are very difficult to find and easy to camouflage. We saw them on the NATO training area in Bergen-Munster; their very small silhouette makes them very difficult to track down. In our case a group of Abrahams M1s took on these weasels and lost them very quickly. The crew of the M1 had not even seen the weasels before they had already been hit and the US commander was very annoyed. They were asked where and who was standing there. After a brief hesitation 12 weasels emerged from depressions and from behind bushes.
Everybody gansta till the treeline speaks German Engineering
The weasel is small, cute and sweet until you realize that you are a mouse in comparison and it kills animals twice its size.
and that's why they all have animal names, you know directly the abilities and tasks of the vehicle
this
The Original Video mixed somethings up and didnt explained others:
-The Crew of the Wiesel 1 20mm Version, can operate and drive the vehicle from the inside technically they dont have to stick their heads out. Althougt pratically the commander usually stick his head out while the Wiesel in moving to ensure he has a view of the area around him.
-The TOW Version, who is now replaced by the SPIKE Version is nearly the same vehicle, but with a better weapon system. Its still operated by 3 people, the guy who fires the missle has to stick his head out in order to fire the missile. The driver however can and have to put his head inside when they want to fire.
The Wiesel 1 is still in service it wasnt replaced by the Wiesel 2. The Wiesel 1 is equeipped whit the 20mm or Spike, the Wiesel 2 is only used as a command vehicle or a medic vehicle.
There a also a few Wiesel 1 as Recon vehicles and some other as AA Vehicle.
I served more than 10 Years on the Wiesel, its a great Vehicle if you know how to use it AND if its fit in the tasked its suposed to do. Patrolling in Afghanistan is not a task the Wiesel was made for.
Supporting the attack of allied Paratroopers in a Airborne operation or a rotary wing Air Assault is what is desinged for.
We also laughed disparagingly at the device at first. It was called, like the Hotchkiss tank in the past, as the underlay wedge for the Leopard tank. But what is the advantage of the weasel is that it can be transported quickly over longer distances. It generally has a low signature, is quiet in noise, disappears from the enemy's field of vision even in small hollows. In addition, the big tank battles will probably no longer occur. But in urban combat, the device is optimal, because of the mobility in combination with the greatest possible armor. As far as sleeping in the tank is concerned, these tanks have alternating crews that recover in rear space. The first models were actually intended as a replacement for the Kraka of the paratroopers. As is well known, this was unarmoured and a small open wheeled vehicle. But due to the advantages that the weasel brings, versions for other types of weapons have also been developed. E.g. anti-aircraft defense. A paramedic version was also developed for the protected rescue of wounded. Also, the Wiesel in its versions is not intended to replace large battle tanks, but it is a supplement. And from that point of view, they are very dangerous opponents.
Fun fact: Rheinmetall will be the sponsor of BVB Dortmund next season. Therefore chances are increased to withstand Real Madrid offensive line😂
Just look at it from a German Paratroopers perspective. You would feel much safer knowing there are Wiesels behind you with AA, Anti Tank and Anti Person capability while they are probably the most stealthy version of an armored gun carrier. I mean there are so many versions of it from medical evacuation to bringing a 20mm cannon to an Infantry fight is allways a good idea. I heard some storys about them where they literally defeated multiple MBTs without the MBTs even knowing at exercises.
Hey Ryan,
The Weasel was designed for the paratroopers, to give them more firepower. It's small and extremly quiet (a Toyota Hilux is very loud compared to the Weasel). For your .50 cal suggestion, I think you forgot about the version with the 20mm gun, that gun can fire AP and HE rounds at 1100 rpm. It's small size and tracked design allow it to pass and attack from terrain, were even the Hilux has no chance of getting through.
It is NOT a Tankette. It is a "Waffenträger".
You've seen all the cons in an instant! No need to comfort you with this... ;o)
But, there're some pros you didn't see yet:
The Toyota Hillux might be capable of carry the same stuff or more, but a) it's not bulletproof against standard ammo or artillery shells and b) it might be 4x4 but it's still road based. The weasel is literally meant to go through the woods!!! Imagine not to drive by but IN the tree lines!
As a former operator of the Wiesel 1 with the german mountain rangers I can asure you...A, you can sleep in the Wiesel. And your equipment fits inside just fine. Not much spare space...but comfort isn't a priority in any military vehicle...now is it 😏
B...I have yet to meet a 4wheeler being able to go everywhere where I was able to go with my Wiesel.
That HILUX would be helpless in most areas I went with this. 😂
There all kinds of variants...mortar, command, ambulance, AA to the fire support and AT variant....it is meant to give airborne units a fast support element with heavy weapons. Another bonus it can take routes that a normal vehicle can´t take dense forrests, very soft grounds and alike.Which means it can basicly go where your infantry is going and support those troops.
It was designed for paratroopers to give them additional fire power. It needed to be so light and small for better airlift, it was even considered originally to also parachute it from a plane. So for that such a design makes sense. So it's a better than nothing solution.
And they missed out the Wiesel 2 "Ozelot", it was shown in the video but not mentioned. That version was designed for the so called "Heeresflugabwehrtruppe", (army anti-aircraft force), so instead of having an anti-tank weapon it is equipped with anti-aircraft weapons. But this force was disestablished and the Luftwaffe took over this task and these Wiesel. But due to the war in Ukraine the Heeresflugabwehrtruppe will be reestablished. Also getting systems like Skyranger 30.
One Ozelot system consists of three Wiesel. One contains all the radio communications, one has the radar system that can be interlinked with other units (allied forces for example, to send them target data), and one Wiesel that is the weapons carrier. The possible main weapons are FIM-92 Stinger, 9K310 Igla-1 (yes, a Soviet anti aircraft), MISTRAL (French) or RBS-70 (Swedish). All three Wiesel are equipped with a MG3 machine gun.
Very interesting comment! Thanks 👍
The Wiesel TOW Variants are currently facing upgrades to the SPIKE LR Missile
Its able to accompany airborne troops who are on foot and can even follow them through thick bush and woods, packing a huge punch to support them. Try that in a beefed up Hilux Talywagon...
Of course the crew and their personal kit fits entirely inside the vehicle, and the hatches can be closed and operated from within. It's not really cramped at all. Of course its not an RV, just like any other big tank.
That thing can suddenly pop from a bush run circles around you while whacking you with 20mm and be gone before you know it. Opponents really don't like having any of those around!
Lower profile because it’s size, lower profile easier to hide in the terrain, better to move and hide in urban warfare
it really exist (mobile cola can) and wherever there is one that you see, there is always at least one that you haven't seen yet... good luck :)
They are like the Raptors in Jurassic Park. When you see one, you miss out the others
This thing is such a small. stealthy agony to others who laugh at it.....till they feel the Ferret ^^
My Brother was on the Luftlandejäger (Elite-Para-Skydivers) and said that thing is the best to land behind lines and cause Terror....plus it must be real fun to drive with that. ;)
You may not like it but would pray for such a little bugger on Warfare in wooden and tense regions where nothing else comes through! It`s a hit and run vehicle, not for front combat. That`s the reason why it`s just for behind the lines Units.
Apparently the Wiesel crews regularly cause entire tank platoons massive grief on training manoeuvres…
It does, they can easily flank you or simply wait somewhere with their TOW Missiles while they are extremly hard to spot, low heat signature and hard to spot.
Youd feel ridiculous.....until you realize your typical sqaud running into one means your guaranteed to lose someone
Maybe the first time in history that "mine is smaller than yours is", could be said with head held high😂
nah... that goes to the late mobile phone era before smartphones became popular
If you would see the Wiesel in reality you would never think to compare it to Toyota Pickups. You need to see this in real life.
We were german Military Police (Feldjäger) with a lot of different vehicles for all our needs, but we all wanted to have this little Paratrooper-Tank the german Fallschirmjäger used.
If you are really a soldier/marine you should know that the most important thing is to be quick on the battlefield - faster than the enemy.
And this tiny deadly Wiesel would be so important for the ukrainian warriors on the battlefield against shithole russia. War in Ukraine showed us, that armor is not so important today. You need to be in cover, fast and deadly. Carry on.
The size of the Wiesel allows it to drive through dense forest where a Humvy would have trouble getting through. The vehicles usually work in formation, where tow missile variants work together with a 20mm cannon variant. This vehicle is designed for dense forests, it's fun to fight these things in the forest.
"This vehicle is designed for dense forests, it's fun to fight these things in the forest." where did i hear that before? Aaaah yes.... «Quintili Vare, legiones redde!»
@@air8orne734 I ment it isn't fun. Sorry
They are mostly used for recon missions and ambush tactics. They are small and quick so they could abush the enemy and escape before anybody can react.
Its not the armor that protects you, its the size, these things kill you before you notice them
This vehicle has been praised from all nations that had the chance to train with an german wiesel equiped Unit. Mostly they said that they always got ambushed by those things. Or those wiesels flanked an Abrams Unit without beeing noticed coming then from behind.
for paratroopers i think its a helpfull way to go forward.
The Wiesel has a very specific role, it's small, agile but has a bite. Like the Animal it was named after.
The point of this is a small, fast moving vehicle that can take out a Tank or surpress/engage infantry and pull back quickly.
BTW there is no problem even for taller guys to fit in there with hatched closed.
Another aspect of the Wiesel due to it's relatively tiny size is urban combat, it is so small in fact it can even enter some buildings,, though I doubt anyone sane is willing to test out wether the floor of an old shopping centre can withstand an additional very concentrated 3 tonnes of weight.
That's the fun part...it has a fantastic weight distribution.
3kg per cm².
a shopping center floor will definitely support 3 tons. even the occasional elevator would be large enough to lift you to second floor positions in said shopping center XD.
You didn’t see it because it’s very small and fast😂
It is supposed to be replaced by 2025 with the "Schwerer Waffenträger Infanterie" (sWaTrg Inf) a Boxer Heavy Weapon Carrier, that is slightly bigger (up to 38.5t). It is a modified version of the Boxer CRV Rheinmetall makes for Australia.
PS. The Wiesel was designed for fast battles in the european planes. Hiding in woods tanks could not cross, hitting them from the sides and sneaking back into the woods. Providing dead zones for attacking planes and providing strongpoints for infantry. People look at the war in Ukraine and laugh about the Wiesel, but WW3 would not have been that static.
It's a hit and run vehicle
I had wanted to see the Ukrainians get these, and there was talk about Germany giving them to Ukraine, but it never panned out for some reason. Also, they can button up, there is an interior. It's just not comfortable. Most carry a machine gun as well as tow or carry a 20mm auto cannon. Also, it has an advantage over the hylex in that it can go through thick mud. In exercises, it has surprised opposition by coming from unexpected directions to attack, such as thick mud, hills, and forests.
carries a cannon and anti tank. meant for fast ez deployment by air. perfect for light infantry and paratroops. not meant to be an actual "tank" but it is meant to be a motorized death bringer against soft targets and the odd piece of armor now and then. shoot and scoot.
Well, having AC and NBC protection, plus being truely offroad and resistance to 7,62 rounds - it beats the Toyota ISIS.
Yeah but infact, the Wiesel 1 with the 20mm or the new Spike AT (replaced the TOW), doesnt have AC or NBC protection. And this vehicles are in service right now.
A group of piranhas is more dangerous than a white shark. They are harder to spot and even harder to fight.
It is a fire support vehicle for paratroops and mountain infantry.
Yes, space is limited but you can have additional stuff as paratrooper.
You can have a few anti tank rocket lauincher, better than having none or carry them on foot.
You are able to ambush a MBT with it, when neccessary.
You can't take a Tyota, it is the German army ;).
So you can the the Wolf (Mercedes G Waggon) but I think the Wiesel has better all terrain capability than the Wolf.
The thing is tiny, you can adequatly hide it bedind a garbage container. But honestly I think they are extremely usefull, though I havent seen them in use yet. Aside of that I am always surprised how small a Leopard II is when you stand in front of it.
It also important to mention the incredible CQB performance of the 20mm variant. It’s small size allows it to drive through streets/paths a Leopard tank could never reach. There also is a variant for medical evacuation. Pretty handy. Also it is important to know the difference between a tankette and a tank. A tankette is designed to support infantry. Always remember you are better off with a light armored vehicle equipped with a 20mm automatic gun instead of being unprotected against fragmentation and small arms fire. There is a reason why the Bundeswehr uses the Wiesel. Otherwise it would have been decommissioned already!
It´s not an MBT. I´ts fast, small, so hard to find and hit.
It´s not an Tank. It only Protects against Shrapnell and Civil Firearms. From AK 7.62 Onwards everything goes straight through. And as long you never trained with us German Paras you never had an chance to see them. Individual Kit is btw. stowed outside. The only reallly good thing is his Nightfighting capabilities. Good Crews could get up to 10 m onto your Position and you couldn´t notice it before you get an rough awakening with the 20mm MK. Idk what it is in the Moment that anyone Hypes them into the heavens. They are capable in an Ambush and for anything else you better run. And btw. ask the Muricans from the Norway maneuver in the early 90´s what they think about the WIesel after there Abrams lost miserably against it in an Series of Ambushes
The Weasel is small, super fast and deadly, it can drive fast through an forrest and snow and is deadly great....never underastimate that little Thing...they work in packs ...great thing
These vehicles are more powerful then the most people know.
the 20mm Cannon load two types of ammo and is devastating on the battlefield, so much support fire and fast switch to the other ammonution, if its needed.
and one of the most underrated things is: the engine can be changed in 15 Minutes.
Wiesel 2 is a multipurpose Vehicle with Mortars, Anti Aircraft Missiles, Recon Stuff, Anti Tank, Medicvac and much more.
ist a Killer in a Hello Kitty costume ;-)
The Wiesel will be hidden from infantry deection even in high standing wheat or corn, against aerial detection a large bush should cover you and this thing has such small tracks that it might be mistaken with the markings of tractor tires.
I think its about fast transportation with heavy weapons. i Would not like to get atack with only small arms from one of those
Search ACW Wiesel. The next step. Greetings from germany.
In the current version the wiesel use the spike missile
The Wiesel is not present for oridinary Infantery. It is kind of a special vehicle for airborne commandos. Fallschirmjäger.
Heard lot's of stories about these zipping across forests during practice and suddenly appearing behind MBT groups because they are very quiet, agile and have a low heat signature. Even apparently surrounding camped infantry groups in the middle of the forest, where they only realized something was there, when they already had MG3 and 20mm Cannons pointed at them close range.
I think this would be very useful in Ukraine, especially because it is so light and can handle mud well. And easily disguised. Plus it uses a car derived VW Diesel engine and ZF gearbox. So a drivetrain that would be familiar to every car mechanic and with spare parts easily found and available on the civilian market.
And the 20mm Cannon is afaik designed to be able to penetrate USSR based APCs, like BMP1 etc. while being able to completely run rings around them.
But it's still lightly armored. So it would be kind of a daredevil's job to operate them and really need a well trained and determined crew.
It's the same gun as on the Marder IFV. It packs a punch
The biggest advantage of the Wiesel is that it, being a tracked vehicle, can turn on the spot, which means it can get through even dense forests and show up where nobody would expect stuff carrying a 20 mm cannon or a TOW launcher.
And apparently the ground pressure is so low that it can just drive over mines without triggering them.
Consider this the teutonic humvee
Do't underestimate that thing. Its quite good in doing what its meant to do: recce, remain unseen, do sudden ambushes and then get the hell out of there. And its light armour provides enough protection against rifles and machine guns for that ( and yes, they can sit inside and close the hatches), different to Toyota trucks which look like Swiss cheese within seconds. I guess the Hilux is so popular among islamic fighters because its the fastest way to become a martyr, if you fight against a regular army unit in it. :)
I think the US army tested it as a remote control tank aka drone.
It's built for the middle European environment with thick muddy terrain. A Toyota Hillux is not a competitor. You need a vehicle that is suitable for the terrain. We have no dessert or steppe terrain. It is handled like a chain vehicle.
I love this vehicle, it is the most cheeky tank(ette) in the world that is still in use, it is amazing! Hopefully Ukraine gets some, i think they might be able to shine there
well acutally it was never ment to be a full level combat vehicle as you said. It was designed as an airborne capable, small, fast carrier of full line AT Missiles and short range fire support. May you looked on it with a very different expectation. It was never ment to be a "home" for the Crew, but a fast, easy to deploy offensive AND devensive Weapon, a highly effective Tank Killer and front line fire support for Airborne and SF Units. But yes, its a tin can with a gun :P
Well,it has much better mobility than a Hilux, at least overall. It can easely drive threw thick woods unspotted and has a very tiny profile. Its also very hard to spot in urban ares and stays unspotted untile the first tanks blew up, and than disapears before enemy troops can react. It can also be easely transportet and unlike a Hilux withstand most infatry rifles easely. And the concern of firepower is easely fixed by pairing it with the 20mm option than can fire HE.
Its main selling point, is that you can fly it around and have threw this AA, anti infantry and anti tank always quickly at the front. It also can basicly apear out of no where behind the enemy and slow down their advance to get other vehicels into position.
i mean its for german airborne. those paratroopers are a special kind of people really :_D. but at the end the Fallschirmjäger would somehow be "elite trained" soldiers that drop and secure where this fast little fucker comes in handy i can believe.
The Weasel is'nt usable for a Week or so. Its to run into Battle, wreak havok in the Woods around the Graslands where the T-72 are and at Night its running home, getting refueled and next morning do it again. And again. And again. So it didnt have that much Ammo, it didnt have that Range and you cant sleep in it because you dont have to! You can sleep in your Barracks when your comrades wreak another day of havok around the Enemy who didnt think about such a small, agile, quick Tank who can slalom around the trees in a forest.
Weasel also: Armoured to protect the Crew from Rain! You cant use real armor at this weight
This might be a candidate for being a drone type system.
The Wiesel is NOT a tank! It gives airborne troops mobility and more effectiveness. Without Wiesel = no motorized transportation for this kind of troops. It is NOT a device for regular troops in order to attack the enemy in an open field situation! It can and will NOT replace a tank or any other armored vehicle, it is ONLY and exclusively a transportation vehicle for parpatroopers and/or airborne operating troops who normally have no motorized transportation at all. You didn't understand the conception of this weapon because you don't know it. In your military service such kind of weapon does not exist, therefore it can't be of any good.
just watched a video about the western MBT's being far too heavy for eastern Europe at 55t in Ukraine/Russia, especially bridges etc.. (mostly because of the cold-war predicted theatre around Germany or neighbouring terrain).
Great armour, survivability, tech, anti-tech, scopes, ammo - amazing... but the lighter soviet era tanks aren't getting stuck in the mud as much either even if they are easier to kill. Makes them more flexible in strategic sense.
Think that's maybe why the Bradley M2 is so successful. It can multitask.
Wiesel's dimensions are similar to an SUV !! My car has a smaller engine but more HP than the Mk.I and the Mk.II, wow.
It's like a technical.on steroids.
You got a pretty poor understanding of the platform for a Marine.
The wiesel runs circles around a pickup truck and can go where even the mighty Hilux cant (hiking trails, narrow urban backalleys or even into buildings like a mall or factory)... its a paratroopers dream and our guys were extremely effective with them in Astan, safety via mobility/concealment instead of armor. And they really cleaned up in mock battles against allied units of all kind, incl armored units with Abrams and Bradleys. Often enough they werent even spotted throughout the engagments thanks to their excellent shot and scoot capability. These little buggers are a menace, especially in woodlands and other complex environments.
Its not at all in competition to IFVs, Humvees or or other such weapon platforms for infantry support, if you want to compare then the 20mm/TOW Wiesel is what our paratroopers get instead of the open light jeeps/buggies with usually just a 50cal.
Ofc we also got a few forward observer, airdefense, mortar and medevac versions ... but tbh the numbers of those are so small that they at best are only good for specialist tasks/situations.
First of all it's not a tank. It's a platfrom for heavy weapon systems.
It's made to support infantry especially airborne. It's a platform to carry out heavy weapon support to infantry. it's way smaller than most of other vehicles used to weapon systems and can be covered much better because of it's sice. The other advantace it has it's the off road capacility and agility. Would you see it in action and how the airborns are using it you wouldn't laugh. Yes, the amor is weak, you have no space inside but it give lot of advantages. Honestly I prefere to sleep in the mud but to have a Wiesel I. Talking about the equipment, we attach our personal equipment to it, it's a two man crew (MK20) how much do you need and yes it has the space for the amunition
Talking about the light amor the British 16 Air Assault Brigade uses the MWMIK or Jackal does that one has a better amor. You should really see it in action and how it's used.
while its mainly used in airborn stuff , it also can be used in rough terrain surrounding and/or in the alps where full on tanks could be to unwieldy to move. this isnt a full frontal attack vehicle and is more suited as support, hit and run, flanking and recon. i still wonder why austria dont have some (as far i know) in the tyrol region it would be perfect there.
No builti in kingsize beds, no McDonalds - honest?
Nope. This is very Real.
And its also very Appreciated by the Troops Actually.
Because the Wiesel while small and only Lightly Armored.
Is Capable of Carrying massive Firepower into Battle.
Its effectively an Self Propelled Heavy Weapons Nest for Light Infantry to take along with them. Not to mention due to the small Size and light Weight it can be Airlifted or even Airdropped to Units in the Field Quickly.
And Funny enough. Not only the Paratroopers. But even the Normal Infantry like it.
Because as someone once Described it to me.
It is effectively a Heavy Machinegun Position which can move around the Battlefield at about 60kph.
Also some Notes.
1.
Actually the Tank is Equipped with Hatches and the Crew can Duck into the Tank.
You can actually See that in one of the later Parts of the Video when the Gunner in the Rear Rises up out of the Tank.
2.
Hilux are Great. I like them. But Hilux are still Light Off Road Vehicles. Even with Meaty Tires. They can be easily Destroyed by Small Arms Fire and will be stopped in Bad Terrain alot more Quickly than a Wiesel.
3.
Uhm Also. Just Saying. But the Standard Variant with the Machinegun Gun on there is actually a 20mm Machinecannon.
It Packs way more Punch than a 50cal.....
Albeit. Pls keep in mind. These are Lightweight Airdropped Tanks.
Germany has Full Sized AFVs and Recon Vehicles for these Respective Purposes which will be used as the Regular Vehicles by these Units.
The Wiesel is explicitly used in cases where such Vehicles are not Available.
Whats in for Germany if they buy Toyota Hiluxe's? No reinforcing of German Companys no Business Benefits. And the Wiesel is so much more Sexy.
That thing provides more protection than every other vehicle used in other countrys for their airborne troops, also the wiesel doesn´t get easily stuck in the mud like a humvee or toyota hylux. to to mention they are very stealthy.
The Wiesel is a small tank, who is, as said, prepared to support airborne units When you are behind the frontline, this tank is defined as small artillery, anty Tank or anti plaine unit, to support airborne troups with different gun systems. Sure, in a tank war against a Leo or Chalanger, the Wiesel will loose, but a small unit with one or two tanks, attaking airbore units who secure an important bridge or what ever, can be attacked with the Wiesel and support the airborne units.
Second use of the Wiesel is, when you are fighting in towns with small streets, where normal tanks can not operate, the Wiesel is King.
Third point, in case of the speed, he is qualified for enlightenment operations, to support the troops, or even without any infantry.
The Wiesel is not a hammer as normal tanks, it is the scalpel, when you need a specific support.Not prepared for anty tank fights, it is designed for infantry fights as the Wiesel is armed against most infantry weapons and artelirry splitter etc.
There is a hugh dufference between a hilux with .50 and an wiesel with an 20mm autocanon.... btw the hilux is much bigger and have not the optics etc
Im not sure, but are you wearing / carrying your full kit in a MBT like the abrams / challenger / leopard ?
The Track are really better for fast manoever in Tarrain for sure. But you maybe don't need that everywhere.
We have no underwear for our soldiers.
Commertial for rhe rest of rhe World. 🤣🤣🤣
In a drone war it might be pretty much a death trap for its crew
When I think of unmanned “drone tanks” I see this being the size.👍🏼
Love your channel! It would be great if you wanted to react to: “What will Sweden bring to NATO” by Warographic. It’s a great video and it also cover some history and background.
Another good one is “Why did the N4azis never invade Sweden?” by Military History.
Was this guy even infantry, cause if he was he should know how much a weapon carrier like the wiesel can enhace the capabilities of an infantry company by exploiting its mobility and firepower to flank the enemy?
Amphibious infantry to be precise. I fact, commando training is the ingest and hardest basic infantry course in the entire planet.
It reminds me of the Bren Gun Carrier
If by 2030 this tank retired in Germany I hope that they may donate them to Ukraine if needed
You make a big mistake. You underestemate the leathal potential of this very fast, agile and deadly tankette.
The Germans Are Great Engineers There Cars Are Like There Tank Work Great When Working But Complicated To Repair Mercedes Benz Same Problem In ww2 German Tank Would Needed To Get Shipped Back To Factory To Do Repairs
Look at that! Three tons, how much armour can it have? If you are over 5'8" The weasel 2 seems like a good idea!
I think you really are letting the tactical value as well as the intended use case go way over your head..
so, if you call the Wiesel a joke, what about DAIMLER SCOUT CAR MK II 'DINGO' then??
Thank's.
If they turned it into a remote drone, they could use it to bring supplies and hit-and-run tactics
A drone version allready exists but the Bundeswehr hasnt got them yet i think
Oh no. Not too different from Germany's automotive machine gun platforms of WWII. THAT IS WILD!
“Automotive machine gun platforms” is funny way of saying a jeep with an mg on the back.
Two guys to operate. Size of a car or SUV. enough space to sit.
There is a recon version of the Wiesel 2.
Rarely seen so much narrow-mindedness, bias and ignorance as in this video.
Sure, sit in your big, heavy and very loud tank and feel safe. But when a swarm of fast-moving Wiesel tanks circle you, firing at you from all directions with their TOWs and leaving their firing positions at top speed... then you'll realize how deadly the tanks you've ridiculed really are.
in fact its a regular car engine .....
😅not everything is like sex, the bigger the better 😂😂😂
I think at the Time they developed that FPV Drones was science fiction 😅