The German FAUN FS 42.75/42 Tank Transporter was introduced to supplement the SLT 50-2/50-3 in German Army service in 1989. The vehicle consists of the FAUN FS 42.75/42 FRANZISKA tractor truck and Kässbohrer 56,000 kg six-axle semi-trailer combinations.
The FS 42.75/42 FRANZISKA is unofficially known as the SLT-56. The FAUN FS 42.75/42 (8 × 6) tractor truck was never intended to replace the earlier SLT 50-3/50-3, its primary use being the movement of over-heavy loads such as the Leopard 2A5/A6 MBT’s on prepared surfaces.
As a result of these requirements, all-wheel drive was not required (hence the 8×6 drive configuration) and a multi-axle ‘road friendly’ legislative compliant semi-trailer could be procured. The full-width trailer was manufactured by Kässbohrer and has 24 wheels on six axles, the rear four of which are steered.
An upgrade has seen these trailers up-rated from 56,000 kg payload to a 59,700 kg payload. The FS 42.75/42 can operate with the SLT-50/3’s four-axle semi-trailer, and the SLT 50-3 can operate with FS 42.75/42’s six-axle semi-trailer.