Archive: News & technical articles

Die japanischen Landstreitkräfte erhalten drei unbemannte Bodenfahrzeuge (Unmanned Ground Vehicles, UGV) THeMIS (Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System) des estnischen Herstellers Milrem Robotics. Wie das Unternehmen mitgeteilt hat, werden die drei UGV für verschiedene Aufgaben konfiguriert, u.a. für Nachschub und Aufklärung. Die Fahrzeuge seien mit dem Milrem Intelligent Functions Kit (MIFIK) ausgestattet, das sie in die […]

Nach Billigung durch den Haushaltsausschuss des Deutschen Bundestages im März hat die europäische Beschaffungsbehörde OCCAR in einer dritten Vertragsergänzung zum Nachtsichtgerätevertrag zusätzliche 16.041 Sätze MIKRON Nachtsichtgeräte (Night Vision Google, NVG) und 8.423 Kopfmontagesysteme für Deutschland bestellt. Der mit 162 Millionen Euro dotierte Vertrag enthält auch eine Vereinbarung über einen ersten In-Service-Support für die zusätzlichen deutschen […]

In seiner Sitzung vom 10. April hat der Haushaltsausschuss des Deutschen Bundestages die Beschaffung von 258 Ausbildungsgeräten Duellsimulator (AGDUS) für die Schützenpanzer Puma genehmigt. Dafür sind 109 Millionen Euro aus dem Sondervermögen Bundeswehr bereitgestellt. Die Geräte sollen bis 2026 geliefert werden. Nach der Information der Bundeswehr auf ihrer Webseite ist AGDUS ein laserbasiertes Ausbildungssystem zur […]

Die Piranha-Familie des europäischen Rüstungskonzerns General Dynamics European Landsystems (GDELS) hat Zuwachs bekommen. Das Unternehmen hat heute den Piranha Heavy Mission Carrier (HMC) öffentlich vorgestellt. Mit einer zusätzlichen fünften Achse wird der Piranha HMC das tragfähigste Familienmitglied. Auf 40 Tonnen wächst das zulässige Gesamtgewicht. Dabei ist eine Zuladung von 17 Tonnen möglich. Nach GDELS-Angaben verfügt […]

Die australische Regierung hat Rheinmetall heute den Auftrag über die Produktion von 123 Gefechtsfahrzeugen „Schwerer Waffenträger Infanterie“ erteilt, von denen über 100 in Australien für die Bundeswehr gefertigt werden sollen. Es handelt sich hierbei um den größten militärischen Export Australiens an die Bundesrepublik, teilte das Düsseldorfer Unternehmen mit. Nathan Poyner, Geschäftsführer von Rheinmetall Defence Australia, […]

The federal government has commissioned Rheinmetall to deliver 20 more Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. Delivery of this new lot is scheduled for later this year. To date, Rheinmetall has already handed over a three-digit number of Marder infantry fighting vehicles to the Ukrainian armed forces through direct deliveries and ring exchange programs, the Düsseldorf-based company said. In the now commissioned marten version […]

On the morning of April 8th, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) said goodbye to the approximately 20 soldiers of the advance command of the new Panzerbrigade 45 (Lithuania Brigade) from the government terminal at Berlin Airport towards Lithuania. It is the first day on which the new brigade becomes visible, explains the minister. It is “an important day for the Bundeswehr, but also […]

More than 300 of the 435 Patria 6×6 wheeled armored vehicles ordered are to be equipped with Kongsberg Protector RS4 remote-controlled weapon stations. Patria and Kongsberg have concluded a corresponding supply agreement, as the companies announced in press releases. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2025 and continue until the 2030s. Kongsberg gives the contract value at around 1.2 billion [...]

On March 20, the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag approved the procurement of 123 heavy infantry weapons carriers and a contract for their logistical support. A total of 2.7 billion euros will be made available for this purpose from the Bundeswehr's special funds. Since both contracts run until 2030, financing from the core budget of Section 14 is planned from 2028. The procurement […]

The Swedish procurement authority FMV has concluded a contract with the Finnish arms manufacturer Patria for the delivery of 321 Patria 6×6 armored personnel carriers with associated weapon stations. FMV and Patria announced this in press releases. According to Patria, the contract has a value of 470 million euros and is one of the largest that the majority-owned [...]

At the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Ramstein on March 19, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced another aid package for Ukraine. As with the conference, the focus of the aid package is on artillery ammunition. The ammunition is the “most urgent need” for the defense of Ukraine. The Bundeswehr will use its own stocks at short notice [...]

The Dutch Rheinmetall subsidiary Rheinmetall Defense Nederland has taken over the Dutch startup company REEQ. The purchase price was not communicated. Founded in 2018, REEQ produces fully electric, light tactical vehicles and works with the defense industry and motorsports, among others. According to Rheinmetall, REEQ's vehicle fleet currently consists of an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), a [...]

On March 5, the Swedish materials procurement authority Försvarets Materialelverk (FMV) ordered nine additional M3 amphibious bridge and ferry systems from General Dynamics European Land Systems–Bridge Systems (GDELS) for delivery by 2027. GDELS informed about the order on March 14th. FMV stated the order volume at 400 million Swedish crowns (equivalent to 35.7 million euros). In the […]

The war in Ukraine was a determining element at the technology group Rheinmetall's annual press conference on March 14th. This war was the trigger for the 100 billion euro special fund, which represents the boom in demand for defense goods and the increased acceptance of the defense industry. Behind this is also the awareness of deficits in equipment and ammunition. The […]

The Swedish peace research institute SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) has presented its latest figures on the international arms trade: According to this, the states in Europe increased their imports of large weapons systems in the five-year period 2019-2023 compared to the previous half decade 2014-2018 with an increase of 94 percent almost doubled. This happened above all under the impression of the Russian […]

The Spanish government has ordered Rheinmetall, the world's largest manufacturer of artillery ammunition, to supply a total of 94,200 155mm caliber projectiles, the company announced yesterday. The framework agreement concluded for this has a volume of around 208 million euros. The artillery shells are scheduled to be delivered to the Spanish army between the end of 2024 and the end of 2025.

American Rheinmetall Vehicles and Rheinmetall Canada have demonstrated the autonomous, unmanned ground vehicle Rheinmetall Mission Master SP with the remote-controlled Fieldranger weapon station to the US Marine Corps (USMC). According to Rheinmetall, this vehicle offers a wide range of possible applications for the Marines, including armed reconnaissance, security and fire support. After successful testing and evaluation, American Rheinmetall Vehicles delivers […]

In preparation for the European Football Championship, which will be held in numerous German cities in June/July 2024, the security authorities are developing an overarching national security concept. An accompanying measure is the training of medical staff in the EUROMED series of exercises funded by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI), which the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (BBK) carries out together with other parties involved. Climax […]

At the DIMDEX arms trade fair in Doha/Qatar, KNDS-Nexter presented the VBCi MkII (Véhicule Blindé de Combat d'Infanterie) infantry fighting vehicle in a version that could meet the needs of the Qatari armed forces. Nexter says it wants to build on the partnership established with AMX tanks and various wheeled vehicles. With the delivery of the wheeled tanks, Nexter wants to […]

The Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) from GM Defense, a subsidiary of General Motors, demonstrated its performance under the prevailing environmental conditions during summer testing in the United Arab Emirates. This emerges from a statement from the company on March 6th. The vehicle has covered almost 2,000 kilometers with maximum payload on highways, sand dunes, soft sand tracks [...]

The Polish procurement authority has concluded a delivery order with the Swedish defense company Saab for a large number of Carl-Gustaf M4 anti-tank weapons with an order volume of 12.9 billion Swedish crowns (equivalent to around 1.1 billion euros). The contract is scheduled to come into force this six months as soon as “certain external conditions are met,” Saab said. In addition to the weapon system […]