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The German Bundeswehr awarded Rheinmetall with a contract to modernise the military’s NBC reconnaissance vehicle, the company confirmed this week.
The contract, to modernise the Fuchs/Fox armoured NBC reconnaissance vehicle to the Bundeswehr’s new A8A7 configuration, was confirmed by Rheinmetall this week, with the German military expecting to receive the new vehicles from 2023.
The engagement will see five versions of the A6A1 upgraded to the A8A7 configuration, allowing the military to maintain an NBC reconnaissance vehicle that is suited to modern threat environments. The Bundeswehr has deployed iterations of the Fuchs/Fox vehicle since 1979, with over 100 deployed to Afghanistan.
According to Rheinmetall, the work on the vehicles is expected to begin in September 2021, and wrap up by July 2024.
The upgrades are scheduled to be take place at Rheinmetall’s Kassel plant, the company’s “centre of excellence” for NBC vehicle technology.
Rheinmetall hopes that the initial delivery of the vehicle upgrades would expand the company’s current contract with the Bundeswehr for upgrades to the remaining 22 Fuchs/Fox vehicles.
“The latest version of the Fuchs/Fox, the 1A8, offers substantially greater protection against mines and improvised explosive devices than earlier models, together with enhanced resistance to ballistic threats,” a statement from the company read.
“Among the principal modifications featured in the Fuchs/Fox 1A8 are structural alterations of the hull; new seats and seat suspensions in the fighting compartment decoupled from the floor of the hull; reinforcement of the wheel wells, doors and window mounts; as well as additional storage bins and reinforcement of the vehicle exterior. The Bundeswehr now has over 940 Fuchs/Fox vehicles in its inventory, 267 of which are the latest 1A8 design.”
Rheinmetall confirm that some 1,600 Fuchs/Foxes have been built for militaries around the globe.
[Related: American Rheinmetall Vehicles enters R&D agreement with US Army]
