Greece Welcomes Cutting-Edge Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles from Rheinmetall
In an additional replenishment initiative initiated by the German government, Rheinmetall is dispatching Marder 1A3 Infantry Fighting Vehicles to Greece. The inaugural units of these Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles were showcased during the Hellenic Armed Forces parade, commemorating the national holiday on October 28th in Thessaloniki.
The Hellenic Armed Forces, in turn, are donating Infantry Fighting Vehicles of Soviet design and various military assets to support Ukraine, receiving Marder 1A3 Infantry Fighting Vehicles in return. Alongside the provision of these Infantry Fighting Vehicles, an ammunition package, an all-inclusive service program encompassing training services, and a spare parts package will additionally be supplied by the Bundeswehr and Rheinmetall. The completion of deliveries is anticipated by the conclusion of 2023.
The vehicles being provided are refurbished Marder 1A3 from previous Bundeswehr inventories. These Marder 1A3s underwent repairs at Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH at their own expense since spring 2022 at the Unterlüß facility, ensuring they are primed for immediate deployment. The initial vehicles were loaded on October 11 at the Rheinmetall location in Unterlüß and shipped to Greece.
The Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicle, originally designed for the German Armed Forces and currently still operational, ranks among the most reliable armament systems of its type globally. The vehicle has undergone multiple upgrades throughout its service, significantly enhancing its combat efficiency.
This replenishment initiative is a strategy formulated by the German government to support Ukraine in its resistance against the Russian invasion, collaborating with its European allies and NATO associates. NATO partners transfer equipment from former Soviet production to Ukraine and, in exchange, receive available systems from Western manufacturing. Rheinmetall is actively participating in ring exchanges with both the Czech Armed Forces and the Slovak Armed Forces, specifically with Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks.
