December 1 is Romania’s national holiday and on this occasion the country’s Ministry of Defense showcased a special Dacia Duster vehicle modified for military use. The Dacia Duster Army was the highlight of the traditional military parade that takes place each year under Bucharest’s Arch of Triumph monument.
Modified by Renault’s Romanian engineering center RTR, the Duster military vehicle complies with NATO standards and with the Romanian Army’s transport necessities.
The vehicle is fitted with a series of special features including an armoring system, additional underbody protection for the engine, gearbox, fuel tank and rear differential, removable winch, anchoring system for air transport, capability to tow military trailers, “black out” and camouflaged lighting systems, plus exterior 12V and 24V sockets.
The most obvious feature is without a doubt the machine gun mounted on top of the car, on a roll cage-like structure. No details were offered about this feature, but it’s not hard to figure out what it’s for. We don’t know whether the engine accepted any modifications, but since the car is armored and heavier, extra output would be needed.
The parade also included two Duster police vehicles based on the facelifted model, which feature special visual and acoustic upgrades, as well as police specific livery. Other special vehicles based on the Duster present at the parade were from the Gendarmerie, firefighters and border police.
By Dan Mihalascu
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