The proven 6×6 vehicle family based on the Fuchs armored transport vehicle (TPz) has been used in the Bundeswehr for over 40 years and is now to be replaced by new vehicles. According to recent statements from the Inspector General, of the over 1,400 Füchs previously built for the Bundeswehr, 825 vehicles in different variants - from NBC detection tanks to troop transporters - are still in use. 272 of them in the latest version 1A8.
Fuchs' successors in the Bundeswehr are to be financed via the Bundeswehr's recently set up 100 billion special fund. In the armed forces, the vehicle is intended to be used primarily in the medium and heavy force categories. Furthermore, it can be heard that the army reconnaissance force in particular - which uses the Fuchs as a transport vehicle for the light reconnaissance groups - and the engineer troops demand the buoyancy of the Fuchs successor (which can only swim up to version 1A4).
From the armed forces' plans to also use the vehicle as part of the medium-sized forces, it can be deduced that the Fuchs successor must have a high level of protection, since the medium-sized forces are used in stabilization operations in addition to national and alliance defense should be. In current Bundeswehr operations, there are hardly any vehicles visible outside the camp walls that do not have at least a protection level of STANAG 4569 Level 3.
In addition, the battles in Ukraine show, among other things, that the issue of protection must be given a higher priority in modern national and alliance defense than was the case during the Cold War. Direct fire from a wide range of small arms and automatic cannon calibers, mines and shrapnel from artillery and mortars, as well as weapons dropped by drones - often improvised - are responsible for a significant proportion of the vehicle failures of both warring parties. It would be helpful here if the future 6×6 vehicle family was not only protected against fire from simple infantry hand weapons.
At the same time, the new 6×6 vehicle must have similar tactical mobility (off-road capability) as the Boxer - which is intended to form the backbone of the Bundeswehr's medium forces - so that the vehicle can operate in conjunction with the Boxer without harming it in combat hinder.
After many signs have long suggested that the future 6×6 vehicle family should also be based on the Fuchs - Rheinmetall has developed a modern variant of the versatile vehicle with the Fuchs 1A9 version (high roof variant) - the signs have recently changed apparently changed.
On June 14, Germany signed a letter of intent to join the Finnish-led Common Armored Vehicle System (CAVS) program for a new 6×6 transport vehicle.Official accession is reportedly scheduled to take place in the fall. This development certainly surprised many observers of both programs. Finally, the CAVS program is credited with the fact that the goal of the development program is to create the cheapest possible 6×6 vehicle – in terms of procurement and maintenance costs – for the Eastern European region. Finland, Latvia and Estonia have been taking part in the program since 2019, Sweden since 2021, although it is repeatedly heard that Estonia has withdrawn from the program again. As a provider of the 6×6 vehicle platform, Patria is responsible for system development within CAVS. At the same time, the Bundeswehr commissioned Rheinmetall at the beginning of the year to carry out a feasibility study to examine the extent to which the “Future Short-Range Indirect Fire System” – the Bundeswehr’s project name for a 120 mm mortar successor – could be implemented on the basis of a Fuchs armored transport vehicle.
What the official reason for this uncoordinated action by the Bundeswehr's procurers - in this case the Ministry of Defense (CAVS program) on the one hand and the Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the Bundeswehr (study) on the other hand - was not announced. According to well-informed circles, it was probably due to the price that Rheinmetall quoted for a Fuchs 1A9. Accordingly, the basic vehicle is said to be several times more expensive than the 6×6 from Patria, for which Lithuania is expected to pay a little less than a million dollars per vehicle as part of its 2021 order, which includes 200 vehicles.
At the same time, simply joining a country in the program does not mean an automatic purchase decision. It is also conceivable that the Bundeswehr intends to expand the competition to replace Fuchs with a serious candidate and thus put itself in a better negotiating position with the industry.
Patria 6×6 CAVS
The Patria 6×6 is based on a vehicle with the same drive formula that was built by Sisu for the Finnish armed forces at the time - also known as the Patria XA. These were roughly the same generation of wheeled tanks as the Fuchs. According to the manufacturer, a key difference between the new Patria 6×6 and the Sisu vehicle is the independent suspension, a more powerful Scania truck engine – 294 kW of power and a torque of 1,870 Nm – and modern electrics.
The only major component from Germany is the transmission from ZF. The maximum weight is stated as 24 tons, of which 8.5 tons are the payload. The protection reaches STANAG 4569 Level 2 (ballistic and mine protection). According to the manufacturer, level 4 (ballistic and mine protection) can also be implemented as an option.
| Protection classes according to STANAG 4569 - ballistic | ||
| Kinetic energy | Artillery (HE = High Explosives) | |
| Level 1 |
|
155mm HE at 100m (Angle: Side 360°; Elevation: 0-18°) |
| Level 2 | 7.62×39mm API BZ from 30 meters at 695 m/s | 155mm HE at 80m (angle: side 360°; elevation: 0-22°) |
| Level 3 | 7.62×51mm M993 AP (WC Kern) from 30 meters at 930 m/s (angle: side 360°; elevation 0-30°) | 155 mm HE from 60 m (angle: side 360°; height: 0-30°) |
| Level 4 | 14.5 × 114mm AP / B32 from 200 meters at 911 m/s (angle: side 360°; elevation 0°) | 155mm HE from 30m |
| Level 5 | 25 mm APDS-T (M791) or TLB 073 from 500 m at 1258 m/s (angle: front center: ±30° side, elevation 0°) | 155 mm HE at 25 m (Angle: Side 360°; Height: 0-90°) |
| level 6 | 30 mm APFSDS or AP from 500 m (angle: front center: ±30° side, elevation 0°) | 155mm HE at 10m (Angle: Side 360°; Height: 0-90°) |
According to Patria, in addition to the driver and commander, there is space for up to ten soldiers and their equipment for a 72-hour mission, depending on the mission equipment. The vehicle concept is designed to accommodate a (manned) tower. According to Patria, the vehicles can float at least up to level 2 armor.
The vehicles exhibited at trade fairs – for example Eurosatory 2022 – were not equipped with NBC protective ventilation. In addition, the decoupling of the seats from the hull - important so that no harmful forces can be transmitted to the soldiers in the event of an explosion - was also not apparent.
| Protection classes according to STANAG 4569 - mine protection | |
| Kinetic energy | |
| Level 1 | Hand grenades, unexploded cluster munitions and other small explosive devices (anti-personnel mines or similar): Explosion occurs under the vehicle |
| Level 2 | Explosive anti-tank mines with 6 kg TNT:
|
| Level 3 | Explosive anti-tank mines with 8 kg TNT:
|
| Level 4 | Explosive anti-tank mines with 10 kg TNT:
|
The extent to which the Patria is able to meet German requirements in terms of protection and mobility can probably only be clarified through a test campaign by the military technical departments. In any case, it seems unthinkable that the Bundeswehr would introduce a modern combat vehicle without adequate protection (fire suppression, NBC protective ventilation, ...). At least in this area, the Patria would certainly have to be “Germanized”, which would certainly have an impact on the price.
If the Bundeswehr decides on the Finnish armored transport vehicle, licensed production in Germany is also conceivable, as a Patria manager explained to the editorial team at Eurosatory. Although he pointed out that it was still too early to talk about details, it can be assumed that this measure would also be reflected in a higher unit price.
More options
If the Fuchs fleet is not replaced or only partially carried out via the CAVS program, there would be several market-available and sometimes even field-tested systems to choose from, which would certainly make sense to take a closer look at.
| Fox 1A4 | Fox 1A8 | Fox 1A9 | Pandur Evolution 6×6 | Patria 6×6 CAVS | |
| maximum weight allowed | 17.5t | 22.5t | 24.5 tons | 19t | 24t |
| Curb weight | - | 20.3t | 21.5t | 14.5 tons | 16 – 18 t (depending on the configuration) |
| Length Width Height | 6.95m / 3.0m / 2.42m | 6.95m / 3.0m / 2.42m | 6.95m / 3.0m / 2.56m | 6.70m / 2.6m / 2.20m | 7.5m / 2.9m / 2.5m |
| Motor | 8 cylinder (Mercedes Benz) | 8 cylinder (Mercedes Benz) | 6 cylinder (MTU) | 6 cylinder (Cummins) | 5 cylinder (Scania) |
| power | 235kW | 235kW | 335kW | 335kW | 294kW |
| power-to-weight ratio | 13.42 kW/t | 10.4 kW/t | 13.68 kW/t | 17.6 kW/t | 12.25 kW/t |
| buoyancy | yes | no | possible | possible | possible |
| independent suspension | no | no | no | yes | yes |
| Steered axles | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Protection class | - | Ballistic and Mine/IED | Ballistic and Mine/IED | STANAG 4569 Level 3 ballistic and higher than Level 3 mine protection | STANAG 4569 Level 2 Ballistic and Mine/IED (Level 4 optional) |
| Decoupled seats | no | yes | yes | yes | optional |
| fire suppression system | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| NBC protective ventilation system | yes | yes | yes | yes | optional |
| Possible crew | 2+8 | 2+8 | 2+8 | 3+8 | 2+10 |
Fuchs 1A9 (high roof variant)
The new Fuchs 1A9 remains a serious alternative, after all, the vehicle was developed by Rheinmetall specifically for the Bundeswehr's Fuchs successor and is equipped, among other things, with digital vehicle electrics, a 360-degree vision system with fused day and night vision, and a new engine , transfer case, brake system and an improved steering system. The vehicle has a permissible total weight of 24.5 tons and has a massive armored hull.
The 1A9 has a military powertrain, the 6-cylinder (MTU) multi-fuel combustion engine produces 335 kW and 2,200 Nm. The interior volume of the Fuchs 1A9 is 12m³, and the interior height of 1.6 m (previously 1.26 m) is, according to Rheinmetall, top class in this vehicle segment.
According to the manufacturer, the ability to float could be restored with a basic version of the high-roof variant. Rheinmetall did not want to provide any further information about the vehicle's exact protection class, citing the classification - apart from a general statement that the 1A9 has ballistic protection and protection against mines and IEDs.
Pandur Evolution 6×6
The Pandur Evolution 6×6 from General Dynamics European Land System (GDELS) is another variant available on the market.
The vehicle is not only available on the market, but also ready for use. The new vehicle basically only has the name in common with the original Pandur. Everything else - including the hull - was completely redesigned by GDELS in order to meet the Austrian Army's requirements for a highly mobile, protected 6×6 vehicle. The new vehicle has been introduced in the infantry units of the Federal Army since January 2019. The Austrian hunters use the Pandur Evolution as a personnel carrier. The crew consists of a driver, gunner and vehicle commander. There is also space for nine additional fully equipped infantrymen in the vehicle.
In addition, the vehicle was recently selected by the US Army to ensure the protected mobility of US special forces, as the specialist portal saysSoldier & Technology reported. A multinational approach would also be possible with the Pandur.
According to GDELS, over 100 vehicles are under contract; delivery of the first vehicles would be possible as early as 18 months after the contract was concluded, as GDELS confirmed when asked.
The Pandur Evolution, which weighs approximately 18.6 tons, is powered by an 8.9 liter Cummins 6-cylinder diesel engine with 335 kW of power via a ZF 6-speed automatic transmission and reaches top speeds of 82 km/h (off-road) or 118 km /h (street). The power to weight ratio is 17.6 kW/t.
The vehicle, including additional armor - protection class according to STANAG 4569 Level 3 ballistic and more than Level 3 mine protection - is only 2.6 meters wide and 2.2 meters high, which means the ability for air transport in a C-130 H/J is against. An explosion suppression system and NBC protective ventilation contribute to the high level of protection. All drive components are installed protected in the tub.
Even though neither the Austrian nor the US version of the vehicle is buoyant, GDELS says it can also offer the Pandur Evolution 6×6 in a buoyant version. All the necessary technologies and the necessary know-how are available in the company. In addition, the drive components installed protected in the vehicle tub provide buoyancy benefits for the vehicle. GDELS engineers point out that this vehicle design provides the basis for making even more heavily armored vehicles buoyant.
The exact price for the vehicle is unknown, but the recently published order from the US Army suggests that the vehicle alone should cost significantly less than two million US dollars. According to well-informed circles, the variant for the Austrian Armed Forces should be even cheaper.
Eagle V 6×6
Following the French model from the Scorpion project, at least part of the Fuchs fleet could not be replaced by vehicles in the classic 6×6 transport tank design. The French armed forces recently decided to largely replace the aging VAB 4×4 wheeled tanks with the 6×6 Griffon multi-purpose vehicle.
If the Bundeswehr also decides on a similar path, the Eagle V 6×6 from GDELS would offer significant advantages, as the medium-sized protected medical vehicles (mgSanKfz) are currently being implemented on this vehicle platform. The German armed forces have ordered 80 of these vehicles. The Eagle V 6×6 is a variant of the combat-tested Eagle V 4×4 (180 vehicles in different variants), which has already been introduced in the Bundeswehr, but with an extended chassis and a third (steerable) axle. This increases the permissible total weight to 15 tonnes with a payload of 7.3 tonnes. In addition to Germany, the Swiss Army is introducing the Eagle V 6×6 as the TASYS reconnaissance vehicle and is having other variants – group transport and command vehicle as well as explosive ordnance disposal – developed in parallel. Logistics and usage would therefore be much easier and cheaper to implement than with other 6×6 platforms. The introduction into the troops would also be less risky and could be implemented more quickly.
The vehicle also offers several design advantages. Due to the significantly more spacious cabin - one of the reasons why the vehicle was chosen as mgSanKfz - significantly larger and more accessible workplaces can be designed. Vehicle variants used slightly away from direct combat operations - for example specific command and radio vehicles - can be designed to be significantly more spacious, without the larger vehicle silhouette compared to the classic wheeled tank design offering tactical disadvantages in direct firefights.
Ultimately, there would still be advantages in terms of industrial policy: GDELS has already shown in the past that the company is willing to relocate the entire Eagle family vehicle production to Germany; this would certainly also be the case with a 6×6 order. The price of the basic vehicle is said to be just over one million euros.
Conclusion
To replace the aging Fuchs fleet, the Bundeswehr has several options available on the market with different advantages and disadvantages in terms of technology, price and development risks. It would therefore be advisable to examine these options not on the green table, but also in the field before choosing one of the options.
The vehicles available on the market should be tested in a competition to determine their suitability for the needs of the Bundeswehr without any prior political determinations. The recently passed law to accelerate Bundeswehr procurement should be suitable for organizing the competition in such a way that the time delays in a competition should be kept to a minimum compared to a direct award.
Waldemar Geiger
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