https://newsletter.en.creamermedia.com
Africa|Contractor|Defence|Denel|Fire|Modular|Service|System|Training|Maintenance|Operations
Africa|Contractor|Defence|Denel|Fire|Modular|Service|System|Training|Maintenance|Operations
africa|contractor|defence|denel|fire|modular|service|system|training|maintenance|operations

Defence contract signed with German armed forces

The upgrades to the Marder tanks will expand the life of the tanks which have been in service since 1971

The upgrades to the Marder tanks will expand the life of the tanks which have been in service since 1971

21st February 2020

     

Font size: - +

Germany’s unified armed forces and civil administration and procurement authority the Bundeswehr, has joined with defence contractor Rheinmetall to carry out new measures for extending the service life of its Marder infantry fighting vehicles.

To maintain the operational readiness of this tracked vehicle, the drivetrain of 71 Marder 1A5 vehicles will be replaced, starting this year with completion due in 2023.

Rheinmetall will be supplying the German military with a total of 78 conversion kits as well as vehicle tool kits and special tools, logistical support, an initial store of spare parts, and training and instruction.

The order is worth about €110-million, including value- added tax. The service life extension will maintain and expand the capabilities of the Marder.

As a first step in replacing the drivetrain, a new powerpack will be installed in all the vehicles, which will boost the Marder’s engine output from 600 hp to over 750 hp.

The new powerpack will significantly enhance the tried-and-tested vehicle’s responsiveness. Here, the Bundeswehr has opted for a highly advanced, forward-looking new solution proposed by well-known German manufacturers.

Under a comprehensive development contract, the Marder fleet has already undergone significant modernisation. For example, the new MELLS multirole lightweight antitank guided missile system has recently been integrated into various versions of the Marder infantry fighting vehicle. Additionally, a new driver vision system, a thermal imaging aiming device and a fire detection and extinguisher system have also been ordered.

Series contracts have already been awarded for parts of this service life extension, with performance upgrades now reaching the troops.

Notably, the proposed service life extension measures are designed to eliminate known obsolescent elements in the Marder. Here, individual measures can be supplied as modular conversion kits and – as part of planned maintenance operations, for example – integrated to assure ready availability of the vehicles.

Awarded to Rheinmetall in December 2019, this particular Bundeswehr order has the potential to lead to more service life extension measures both in Germany and across the globe. Besides Germany, the armed forces of Chile, Indonesia and Jordan all use the Marder infantry fighting vehicle.

As a system developer and supplier, Rheinmetall has extensive expertise and experience with the Marder. The weapons system first rolled off the assembly lines of the predecessor of the company now known as Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, in Kassel.

Extremely reliable and battle tested, the Marder is set to serve as an important asset of Germany’s mechanised infantry units for several more years, even though the Bundeswehr is currently taking delivery of the last of 350 Puma infantry fighting vehicles intended to replace it.

Rheinmetall is represented in South Africa by Rheinmetall Denel Munition with its head office based in Somerset West, Cape Town.

Edited by Zandile Mavuso
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Features

Comments

Projects

Showroom

Weir
Weir

Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Alco-Safe
Alco-Safe

Developed to exceed the latest EN 15964 standards for police breathalysers proving that it will remain accurate and reliable for many years to come.

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Magazine round up | 22 November 2024
Magazine round up | 22 November 2024
22nd November 2024

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.074 0.172s - 179pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now