Rheinmetall Secures Major Deal to Upgrade Fuchs Armored NBC Reconnaissance Vehicles for Bundeswehr

Rheinmetall has secured a Bundeswehr contract to enhance the proven Fuchs/Fox armoured NBC reconnaissance vehicle. A total of five A6A1 models will be upgraded to the advanced, highly protected A8A7 configuration. Consequently, the Bundeswehr will have access to an NBC reconnaissance and analysis capability that is equipped to contend with contemporary operational challenges. Work is set to commence in September 2021 and is projected to be finalized by July 2024. The first units are scheduled to be delivered to the German military beginning in 2023.

This contract holds particular importance for Rheinmetall’s Kassel facility for two reasons. Firstly, it bolsters the Group’s center of excellence for NBC systems technology, thereby safeguarding critical employment in the northern Hessian city, which happens to be the birthplace of the battle-hardened 6×6 combat vehicle. Furthermore, this order could potentially lead to the remaining 22 Fuchs/Fox armoured NBC reconnaissance vehicles being upgraded to the new A8A7 configuration, as well as initiatives to modernize systems used by international clientele.

Since 1979, the Bundeswehr has deployed several versions of the Fuchs/Fox armoured transport vehicle, utilizing over a hundred in Afghanistan. Due to its adaptable operational capabilities and high dependability, the Fuchs/Fox has consistently been a favorite among troops. Even after more than forty years in service, it continues to receive ongoing enhancements.

The latest iteration of the Fuchs/Fox, the 1A8, provides significantly improved protection against mines and improvised explosive devices compared to earlier models, along with increased resistance to ballistic threats. Key upgrades featured in the Fuchs/Fox 1A8 include modifications to the hull structure; new seats and seat suspensions in the combat compartment isolated from the hull floor; reinforcement of wheel wells, doors, and window frames; as well as additional storage compartments and fortifications of the vehicle’s exterior. The Bundeswehr currently possesses over 940 Fuchs/Fox vehicles in its fleet, with 267 featuring the latest 1A8 design.

A variant of the Fuchs/Fox 1, the vehicle’s export model, the Fuchs/Fox 2, has undergone an independent development process and now boasts a more spacious combat compartment, a more powerful engine, updated running gear, enhanced state-of-the-art protection, and a digitized electrical architecture.

To this day, approximately 1,600 Fuchs/Fox vehicles have been manufactured. Armed forces from multiple nations operate a diverse range of different variants, including armoured personnel carriers, mobile command posts, field ambulances, and NBC reconnaissance vehicles.