Bundeswehr welcomes "Heavy Infantry Fighting Vehicle"

After a total of 123 new "Heavy Infantry Fighting Vehicles" (sWaTrg Inf) were agreed upon in a government contract between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Australian government in March, the first vehicle was presented a few weeks later as a so-called proof of concept by Rheinmetall Landsysteme and the symbolic handover to the Bundeswehr took place.

It is expected that from the second half of the year, the reference vehicle presented yesterday will be available to the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) for development and testing purposes. Subsequently, necessary evidence, such as approval and transportability, can be provided early on, and loading and stowage tests as well as ergonomics studies can already be carried out.

In addition, development work on the electronic architecture and adjustments to the system software to meet German requirements can be carried out.

The reference vehicle offers a valuable opportunity for the adaptation development of the system software to test software versions very quickly, thus ensuring a high level of maturity of the system software for series introduction.

In case of any deficiencies, change proposals for resolution can be developed early and incorporated into series production. The early provision of a proof of concept is therefore a key element in achieving the tightly scheduled goal of introducing the sWaTrg Inf in 2025.

Together with Rheinmetall, today they once again write the hashtag "ProcurementInProgress" into the timeline of the ambitious procurement agenda that has been pursued for months, the Parliamentary State Secretary Siemtje Möller expressed her joy at the presentation of the proof of concept. In the presence of other high-ranking representatives of the Federal Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces, she emphasized: "The milestone achieved today is a visible sign of a turning point and another step towards restoring the combat readiness of the Bundeswehr as quickly as possible."

The wheeled armored vehicle, as a successor system to the Wiesel combat vehicle, will provide direct tactical fire support and long-range anti-tank capabilities for the infantry units of the Bundeswehr. It combines the capabilities of two previous Wiesel variants as well as the additional vehicles used for ammunition transport into one platform, and represents an ideal mix of protection, mobility, firepower, and sustainability. The first systems of the "Heavy Infantry Fighting Vehicle" are expected to be available to the Army's Medium Forces as early as 2025.

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