Liebherr, the world market leader for mobile cranes, uses all its vast experience for designing special cranes for military purposes. The military cranes are in demand with the army, air force and navy; they have proven themselves all over the world with repair, resupply and engineering units. In the year 2017 Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH received an order from the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) to deliver a total of 71 armoured mobile and recovery cranes.

The main task for the GBKF rescue crane: Recovery of stranded vehicles

Liebherr started the delivery out of Ehingen, the largest crane manufacturing plant in the world, to the German Army on schedule in February 2019. For this order, the last vehicles will be delivered by 2021. The total order comprises the delivery of 33 armoured recovery cranes with model name G-BKF and 38 G-LTM 1090-4.2 mobile cranes. These are 90-tonne class telescopic cranes which also feature armoured driver's cabins and armoured crane cabins.

The G-BKF from Liebherr is an armoured recovery crane on a four-axle mobile crane chassis. It has excellent off-road capability and great manoeuvrability. The use of Liebherr's own "D946TI" diesel engine which develops 400 kW (544 bhp) with the ZF TC-Tronic gearbox with converter and 12 forwards gears and 2 reverse gears provides plenty of power for towing operations.

The G-BKF can be used flexibly and economically since it is equipped both to hoist loads and also to recover vehicles. Its 20.9 metre telescopic boom enables the G-BKF to handle loads up to 20 tonnes in weight quickly and precisely. Its two recovery winches and towing device at the rear enable it to recover a wide range of different vehicles. The G-BKF is designed to be able to rescue and tow the new generation of armoured control and command vehicles, armoured transport vehicles, MULTI FSA (swap body vehicles) and wheeled vehicles which are currently in use whilst the operating personnel is being guarded.

The G-BKF is also capable of providing tactical infantry cover over long distances, providing repair and handling support and of rescue, recovery and emergency aid deployments.

The G-LTM 1090-4.2 from Liebherr is an armoured mobile crane on a four-axle all-terrain chassis. It has excellent off-road capability and great manoeuvrability. The G-LTM 1090-4.2 is a flexible mobile crane with a powerful 35.7-metre telescopic boom. It can handle loads up to 36.6 tonnes quickly and precisely.

The all-terrain chassis of the G-LTM 1090-4.2 features the very latest chassis and powertrain technology to provide excellent handling even on difficult terrain. A six-cylinder Liebherr diesel engine in the undercarriage, which develops 330 kW and torque of 2,335 Nm, provides the LTM 1090-4.2 with all the power it needs.

For passenger protection the G-LTM 1090-4.2 is equipped with an armoured driver's cabin as well as and armoured crane cabin.

The focus when the order was placed was on the protection of personnel in the cranes. Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH worked with Rheinmetall, the leading European supplier of military equipment, on the armoured driver's cabs and armoured crane cabs to ensure that the high requirements could be satisfied. The drivers’ cabs protect the crew from ballistic, mine and IED threats and also feature an NBC ventilation system. The superstructure cabs protect the crane operators from ballistic threats during crane operations. The two cabs are identical for the G-LTM