• Air Warfare

  Hensoldt to supply German Eurofighters with AESA radar

  18th June 2020

  Hensoldt will design and develop a new AESA radar for the entire German fleet of Eurofighters following a decision by the Bundestag to release €1.5 …

• Land Warfare

  Germany to procure MG4 A3 from 2021

  19th June 2020

  Amid continued efforts to improve the lethality of the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr recently released images of paratroopers from Zweibrücken training with the new …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Bundeswehr Heron 1 to continue Mali operations

  15th May 2020

  The Budget Committee of the German parliament on 13 May approved funding for the extension of the Heron 1 UAS deployment in Mali. Approximately €30 …

• Training

  Bundeswehr cancels ILÜ training exercise 2020

  4th May 2020

  The Bundeswehr announced on 30 April that it has cancelled its ILÜ information training exercise, which normally takes place in October each year at locations …

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall awarded Bundeswehr EOD contract

  5th May 2020

  Rheinmetall was awarded a supplementary procurement order for four DEU Route Clearance Systems to support Explosives and Ordnance Demolition (EOD) by the Bundeswehr. Signed in …

• Defence Notes

  OCCAR delivers despite COVID-19 lockdowns

  5th May 2020

  The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) has continued to meet several contract requirements, despite nationwide lockdowns in each of its six European member states …

• Naval Warfare

  German U-33 enters dry dock after suspected leak

  29th April 2020

  The German Bundeswehr has reported that a Class 212A U-33 submarine (pictured) from 1st Submarine Squadron entered a dry dock in Kiel, Germany on 28 …

• Special Operations

  Dutch lift lid on Takuba plans

  7th May 2020

  The Netherlands’ Special Operations Command (NLD SOCOM) has disclosed to Shephard its planned contribution to Task Force Takuba - a European Combined Joint Special Operations …

• Land Warfare

  Innovation underpins MGCS initiative

  6th May 2020

  The Franco-German effort to develop the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) aims to improve the mobility and protection of their MBT fleet and to incorporate …

• Land Warfare

  Innovation underpins MGCS initiative

  6th May 2020

  The Franco-German effort to develop the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) aims to improve the mobility and protection of their MBT fleet and to incorporate …

• Land Warfare

  German Army to procure 700 GreenLiner 4x4 vehicles

  8th April 2020

  The German Army is set to procure 700 GreenLiner 4x4 vehicles to enhance its unprotected military vehicle fleet. The GreenLiner procurement programme began in August …

• Special Operations

  German SF set for new rifle but Bundeswehr must wait

  9th March 2020

  Deliveries of the new HK416 rifle (pictured) to German SF are expected to start this month as the Bundeswehr ponders the replacement of its main …

• Land Warfare

  Poland sets its sights on MGCS

  5th February 2020

  Poland would like to play a significant role in the Franco-German Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) project, as the country targets a major modernization of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing responds to German heavy-lift helicopter tender

  14th January 2020

  Boeing is offering the H-47 Chinook for the German armed forces’ New Heavy Lift Helicopter Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) programme, the company announced on 14 January. …

• Land Warfare

  Germany orders Enforcer missile systems

  6th January 2020

  MBDA will supply the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) with Enforcer missile systems under a contract announced on …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• LTVs - 4x4

  Wolf 2 [Germany]

  Programme Background The Wolf 2 was designed by Mercedes-Benz to replace the German Bundeswehr's ageing fleet of Wolf utility vehicles. The Bundeswehr is currently replacing its ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Micro UAVs [Germany]

  Background Drone Plans In mid-2025, as has been reported by outlets such as Loyal Magazine, the Bundeswehr presented plans to expand its UAV inventory. It ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Additional Type 212CD (3-6) [Germany]

  The German Navy's 'Force Structure Goals 2035+' foresees between six and nine Type 212CD in service after 2035, meaning between four and seven new submarines could ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Additional Type 212CD (3-6) [Germany]

  The German Navy's 'Force Structure Goals 2035+' foresees between six and nine Type 212CD in service after 2035, meaning between four and seven new submarines could ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Additional Type 212CD (7-9) [Germany]

  The German Navy's 'Force Structure Goals 2035+' foresees between six and nine Type 212CD in service after 2035, meaning between four and seven new submarines ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Additional Type 212CD (7-9) [Germany]

  The German Navy's 'Force Structure Goals 2035+' foresees between six and nine Type 212CD in service after 2035, meaning between four and seven new submarines ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A8 [Germany]

  Programme Background Germany has operated the domestically produced Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Leopard 2 since its inception in the 1970s. Spanning now eight versions, the Leopard 2A8 is the ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Eagle V 6x6 [Germany]

  Programme Background Since 2022, Germany has significantly increased its defence spending in an effort to rejuvenate the Bundeswehr. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has stated that he ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 2) [Germany]

  Programme Background The contract award for the second batch of Pumas had been delayed until 2022 at the earliest. However, in April 2021, German media ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  HUSAR (2017 Order) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirement In 2015, the German Army launched the HUSAR programme to identify a replacement for its Airbus Defence & Space KZO and first-generation ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 3) [Germany]

  Programme Background The contract award for Germany's second batch of Pumas was originally scheduled for 2021, following the final deliveries of Germany's first batch. However, in ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (Skyranger) [Germany]

  Programme Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the ...

• Loitering munitions

  Testing Loitering Munitions [Germany]

  Background Three Tested Models In April 2023, Germany reportedly ordered three different loitering munition systems to assess further their suitability for use by the German Armed ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FALKE (2022-2023) [Germany]

  Background Inception In November 2022, the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) published details on its desire to award a ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (RCH 155) (Batch 1) [Germany]

  Programme Background The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the importance of maintaining a large number of long-range fires. Since February 2022, Germany has donated a ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• LTVs - 4x4

  Wolf 2

  The Wolf 2 is an off-road vehicle designed by Mercedes-Benz for use by the German Bundeswehr. The first prototypes were delivered in November 2024 for ...

• Construction vehicles

  G-LTM 1090-4.2 armoured mobile crane

  Liebherr has manufactured more than 800 military cranes with lifting capacities from 10 to 500t since 1977. In June 2017, Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Gepard

  The Gepard was developed from 1963 to meet a German Army requirement for a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) that could support its armoured forces. The ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  Gladius/IdZ

  Gladius is the latest iteration of the Infantryman of the Future (Infanterist der Zukunft or IdZ) project. In 2009, Rheinmetall was awarded a contract to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Piranha V 6x6

  The Piranha V, the latest member of the Piranha family of wheeled armoured fighting vehicles, introduced a vehicle in the upper weight class. Unveiled in ...

• Helicopter engines

  T64

  The T64 is a turboshaft/turboprop engine that has now accumulated over 11 million flight hours of operation. The T64 engine was designed to power rotary- ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range, Self-propelled missile systems

  IRIS-T Surface Launched (SL) system

  The IRIS-T Surface Launched (SL) system is designed to provide 360° protection against attacks from aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, cruise missiles, guided weapons and rockets. The ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  AR100-H

  The AR100-H is a German rotary-wing drone manufactured by AirRobot, part of the Nordic Unmanned group. The drone features a modular configuration and custom control software and ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  R-350

  The R-350 is an ITAR-free, rotary-wing VTOL TUAV. It contains a jet-turbine engine propulsion system. This allows it to use heavy fuels, meaning the R-350 ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Passive Radar

  The Passive Radar detects airborne and sea targets by detecting disturbances to civilian FM radio, DAB and DVB-T transmissions in the VHF range. When receiving ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Grille

  The Grille 9X DRONEVAC, or Cricket, is an uncrewed multicopter designed for MEDEVAC missions. Designed by Avilus, the UAV is meant to transport injured service personnel to safe ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Black Hornet 4

  Unveiled at AUSA 2023, the Black Hornet 4 is a micro rotary-wing UAV from Teledyne FLIR. Compared to its predecessor, the drone is heavier, faster, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Reliant

  The Reliant is a Quantum Systems VTOL-capable fixed-wing drone unveiled at the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Week Exhibition 2024. The hybrid drone is due to ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  TLVS

  The Taktisches Luftverteidigungssystem (TLVS), or Tactical Air Defence System, was an advanced air and missile defence initiative pursued by Germany to enhance its defensive capabilities ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Type 707

  The Type 707 is a new double-hulled fleet tanker for the German Navy. The ships are being procured to start replacing the Type 704 single-hulled ...