German Army to update its truck fleet

Germany's Rheinmetall will deliver 1,000 trucks worth 398 million euro in 2021 and 2022

German Army to update its truck fleet

Photo: Rheinmetall

The German Army is accelerating the updating of its truck fleet. The European Security & Defence website said it has learned that Rheinmetall will deliver 150 HX2 trucks in the 5-tonne payload class with a 6×6 chassis, and 850 HX2 trucks in the 15-tonne payload class with an 8×8 chassis. The trucks are said to be scheduled to be delivered under a €398 million contract in 2021 and 2022.

An additional 1,000 trucks can be ordered under the 2017 framework agreement with Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles designed to cover 2,271 vehicles, of which 1,870 have already been ordered and over 1,000 have been delivered. The new trucks will replace ones whose procurement dates as far back as the 1970s.

In addition to the trucks, 1,850 swap bodies are also to be procured from the funds of the economic stimulus package for €48 million. This will give the unprotected transport vehicles a body that can be replaced relatively easily, meaning troops can quickly use the trucks for different transport tasks. Under two contracts, 950 15-foot swap bodies and 900 20-foot swap bodies will be procured for use from 2022. The European Security and Defence website reported that 401 more trucks are to be procured from the existing framework contract at a later date, and it is also foreseeable that more unprotected transport vehicles will be needed to fully cover mobility needs. The German Army estimates its further requirements in the coming years at around 300 trucks with a payload of five tons, and around 3,000 trucks with a payload of 15 tons. 

In addition, the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support concluded a framework agreement with Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles in June 2020 for the procurement of swap body systems for 4,000 protected and unprotected trucks in the 15-ton payload class (ZLK) with a term of seven years.

The first tranche of 230 protected and 310 unprotected vehicles was called up when the framework agreement was signed. The contract is worth around €360 million. By the end of 2022, the force is expected to receive up to 75 protected and 90 unprotected swap body ZLK 15-ton trucks. The vehicles will thus be ready in time for deployment with NATO’s rapid reaction force, VJTF (Very High Readiness Joint Task Force), in 2023.