In 1954, the Bundeswehr submitted a requirement for a new military truck in the 1.5 ton class. The firms of Hanomag, Borgward, and Daimler Benz submitted proposals, and the Daimler Benz vehicle - the S404B "Unimog" - was selected for its superior cross-country performance.

Roughly 36,000 of these vehicles were produced for military use, with another 29,000 built in a civilian version. They were used in a variety of applications, including:

• Transport and troop carrier
• Maintenance vehicle
• Communications vehicle
• Prime mover for trailers, generators, and weapons
• Command vehicle
• Driver training vehicle

The Unimog S404B was replaced in 1978 by a newer generation of Unimog vehicle.