2020 is the 40th anniversary year for the Fuchs transport tank (TpZ). Series production - over 1,400 were built in total - began in 1979, and the first series vehicle entered the Bundeswehr at the end of 1980. Since then, the Bundeswehr has used the Fuchs in a variety of variants; the vehicle has been involved in all Bundeswehr missions abroad, from Afghanistan to Mali.
Today's Foxes are of course not the same as those from 1980. The most modern version currently introduced into the Bundeswehr is the TPz 1 A8 (pictured). Compared to older models, this has greatly improved protection against ballistic threats as well as mines and booby traps. The main modifications to the TPz 1 A8 include structural changes to the hull, new axles, reinforcements to the wheel arches, doors and window mounts as well as additional storage boxes and reinforcements in the exterior. Rheinmetall will upgrade a total of 272 Bundeswehr Foxes to the current 1A8 level by the end of 2020.
Rheinmetall arbeitet zudem bereits an einer Nachfolgeversion, die ein neues Triebwerk, ein neues Verteilergetriebe, eine neue Bremsanlage, ein verbessertes Lenksystem sowie ein Monitor- und Kamerasichtsystem erhalten soll. Dadurch werde der TPz 1 Fuchs noch beweglicher im Gelände und ergonomischer zu bedienen, so das Unternehmen.
There is also the export variant Fuchs 2, derived from the TPz 1 Fuchs. This further development has, among other things, an enlarged interior, a more powerful engine, a modernized chassis and digital vehicle electrics. The Fuchs 2 is used, for example, by the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and another customer in the MENA region.
In addition to the Bundeswehr, the US Army, Great Britain and Norway are among those who use the Fuchs, so its reliability has been tested in many operations in a wide variety of climate zones. With this mix of proven reliability and constant modernization, the Fuchs is well on its way to continuing to accompany the soldiers of the Bundeswehr for decades to come.
Dorothee Frank
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