There is increasing pressure on Germany to cultivate its transport fleet now that European countries are beginning to establish shared military corridors across their territories for a smoother flow of personnel and cargo.
Across the Northern reaches of the Nordic sphere and the breadth of the continent, members of the Nato military alliance will share pathways from west to east. Governments and industry will also support these new corridors with new infrastructure.
Germany’s Ministry of Defence has placed a record order for a range of 6,500 HX-series vehicles in a new framework agreement that will total €3.5bn ($3.75bn). A first call-off for more than 610 vehicles worth $334.2m is imminent; of which 250 trucks are to be delivered in 2024.
These are all-wheel drive two-, three- and four-axle off-road military trucks.
Since 2017, more than 6,000 HX vehicles will be delivered to the Bundeswehr by the end of 2024, together with the swap-body loader systems and 70 tonne (t) tractor units. A large proportion of the added value – over 75% – is created in Germany.
“The framework-contract is an essential contribution to a fast fulfillment of demand by the logistic forces of the Bundeswehr”, stated Michael Wittlinger, chairman of the management of Rheinmetall Military Vehicles GmbH.
“The standardised vehicle family and the uniformity with vehicles of other beneficiary nations establish the HX-vehicles as the main logistic vehicles within Nato and set a standard for interoperability and logistic efficiency within the alliance.”
Germany expands the fleet over the past week
This latest framework-contract, signed on 1 July 2024, allows the German military to flexibly order further quantities of already introduced unprotected transportation vehicles (UTFs), from 5t to 15t trucks for the next seven years.
In addition, a new vehicle category will be introduced under the framework: the 4x4 UTF 3.5t. It has a maximum of identical parts to the UTF family.
Recently, the German Budget Committee also placed a $90m order to purchase new airfield fire engines for the Ministry of Defence. Additional airfield fire engines may be called up at short notice if necessary.
