11 June 2026
Strategic field of development: Mercedes-Benz vehicles for security and defense purposes
• Mercedes-Benz will continue to actively shape its activities in the security and defense sector in cooperation with partners.
• With modifiable vehicles based on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class as well as the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Vito, the company has been strengthening Europe’s and NATO’s alliance capability for more than 45 years.
• In this way, Mercedes-Benz contributes to protecting security and freedom in society.
Stuttgart. For more than 45 years, Mercedes-Benz has been developing and producing modifiable vehicles for security, emergency services and defense technology. The Mercedes-Benz G-Class is an icon of robustness and reliability and is available in special versions, for example for the German Federal Armed Forces.
Mercedes-Benz vans such as the Sprinter and Vito are indispensable for security and rescue operations. The company has also been working with body manufacturers for many years to offer ideal base vehicles for a wide range of applications. In light of geopolitical conflicts, Mercedes-Benz is reaffirming its commitment to applying proven technology and innovative strength at the service of security and defense and regards these activities as a strategic field of development.
“Our innovative and reliable products, as well as the expertise of our colleagues, have spoken for themselves for years. We produce Mercedes-Benz vehicles as the basis for special-purpose applications and can flexibly adjust production accordingly at any time. At present, vehicles and chassis for security, rescue and defense applications account for less than one percent of our total sales volume. However, we see this as a strategic field of development that we will continue to actively shape in cooperation with partners.”
Michael Schiebe, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, responsible for Production, Quality & Supply Chain Management
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
Since 1979, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class has embodied robustness and reliability. It is an icon for the most demanding conditions and today also stands for European resilience and technological sovereignty.
Even when it was first launched in 1979, the G-Class was designed not only for civilian use, but also for defense-related applications. Its robust construction with ladder-frame chassis, selectable all-wheel drive and differential locks has made it a preferred vehicle for defense, rescue and security applications for many years.
The G-Class has been in service since 1993, for example as the “Wolf” in the German Federal Armed Forces. It is available there in over 50 different versions — ranging from ambulances to specially protected variants for special forces.
The latest generation was introduced in 2021 and offers significant improvements in performance, payload and user-friendliness, as well as optimal conditions for transporting teams and equipment for rescue and security operations. The G-Class is available in various versions: as a station wagon with a closed body and five doors, as well as a chassis with a single cab, which is particularly suitable for special load carriers or body structures. Mercedes-Benz also offers a bare chassis that can be individually built up by strategic partners.
“With the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, we have stood for dependability and reliability under the most demanding conditions for more than 45 years. Building on the proven ladder-frame concept, we offer unique flexibility to realize a wide range of applications based on the G-Class — from highly off-road- capable command vehicles to modular vehicle platforms for highly specialized operations.”
Michael Knöller, Chairman and CEO Mercedes-Benz G GmbH and Head of the Off-Road Vehicle Product Division at Mercedes-Benz AG
Mercedes-Benz Vans
Mercedes-Benz Vans also looks back on many years of experience in the security and defense sector and plays an important role in this field. Thanks to their versatility, both the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and the Mercedes-Benz Vito can be deployed for civilian purposes as well as for security, defense- and civil protection-related applications. Since 2018, the highly configurable Sprinter base vehicles of the VS30 type (W907/W910) have served as the standard platform for government and defense-related applications in various weight classes. Their features include all-wheel drive, high ground clearance, a robust chassis and a proven engine portfolio. Both the Sprinter and the Vito can be deployed in a wide range of scenarios and, together with specialized body manufacturers, can be equipped for highly diverse applications, for example as troop and passenger transport vehicles, medical and ambulance vehicles, command and communication vehicles, as well as logistics and service vehicles. For special-use scenarios, variants with additional specialist equipment are also available through body manufacturers.
A key factor in Mercedes-Benz’s contribution in the defense sector is its close collaboration with body manufacturers and system partners, as well as its international service network and consistently reliable supply of parts. Mercedes-Benz supplies special chassis and component kits that provide the basis for specific military requirements. Standardized interfaces and mounting points facilitate complex body structures. Such partnerships are essential for developing vehicles with protection systems or for specific operational profiles.
“Our vans such as the Sprinter and Vito prove their strengths where it matters most: with high reliability, great versatility and the ability to adapt flexibly to a wide range of operational requirements. Whether as transporters, ambulances, command vehicles or logistics vehicles, our products provide the basis for solutions developed together with body manufacturers that prove themselves in everyday use just as they do under demanding operating conditions.”
Thomas Klein, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans
Mercedes-Benz regards the protection of peace, security and freedom as a duty
Security and freedom form the foundation of stable societies in Europe. Vehicles bearing the star can be adapted to meet specific requirements in governmental, defense-related and humanitarian contexts: from special lighting and pre-installations for communication and body systems to camouflage paintwork. Civilian quality as the basis – broad applicability as the result. All deliveries are made in accordance with German and European foreign and security policy as well as export control regulations.
As a company, Mercedes-Benz sees its role as actively supporting the security policy objectives of the Federal Republic of Germany, the European Union and its member states through innovative vehicle solutions and contributing to strategic autonomy. The Federal Republic of Germany is a member of the North Atlantic defense alliance and, on the basis of its constitution, makes an active contribution to the security of Germany and its allies. The European Union pursues the goal of strategic autonomy: security and defense technology should be developed and produced on European soil – independently, reliably and with a view to the future.
Strong defense capabilities based on advanced technology serve to safeguard peace.
Contact:
General inquiries: Willem Spelten, +49 151 58 624 395, willem.spelten@mercedes-benz.com
Mercedes-Benz G-Class: Tom Steller, +49 151 5862 0029, tom.steller@mercedes-benz.com
Mercedes-Benz Vans: Susanne Lenz, +49 160 86 257 60, susanne.lenz@mercedes-benz.com
Further information about Mercedes-Benz is available at www.mercedes-benz.com and on our LinkedIn
channel under Mercedes-Benz AG | LinkedIn.
Press information and digital services for journalists and multipliers can be found on our Mercedes-Benz
Media online platform at media.mercedes-benz.com.
Mercedes-Benz AG at a glance
Mercedes-Benz AG is part of the Mercedes-Benz Group AG with a total of around 164,000 employees worldwide and is responsible for the global business of Mercedes-Benz Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans. Ola Källenius is Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG. The company focuses on the development, production and sales of passenger cars, vans and vehicle-related services. Furthermore, the company aspires to be the leader in the fields of electric mobility and vehicle software. The brand portfolio of Mercedes-Benz Cars includes the Mercedes-Benz brand, as well as Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Maybach, and the G-Class product brand. Mercedes-Benz AG is one of the world's largest manufacturers of high-end passenger cars. In 2025 it sold more than 2,1 million passenger cars and vans. In its two business segments, Mercedes-Benz AG is continually expanding its worldwide production network with around 30 production sites on four continents. As sustainability is the guiding principle of the Mercedes-Benz strategy and for the company itself, this means creating lasting value for all stakeholders: for customers, employees, investors, business partners and society as a whole. The basis for this is the sustainable business strategy of the Mercedes-Benz Group. The company thus takes responsibility for the economic, ecological and social effects of its business activities and looks at the entire value chain.
Mercedes-Benz Group AG | Mercedesstraße 120, 70372 Stuttgart, Germany | P +49 711 17-0 | dialog@mercedes-benz.com | group.mercedes-benz.com
Mercedes-Benz Group AG | Domicile: Stuttgart | Court of Registry: Amtsgericht Stuttgart | Commercial Register No.: 762873
Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Martin Brudermüller
Board of Management: Ola Källenius, Chairman; Jörg Burzer, Mathias Geisen, Olaf Schick, Michael Schiebe, Britta Seeger, Oliver Thöne, Harald WilhelmMercedes-Benz G-Class