An elephant on the march

The Bundeswehr has placed a further order at Rheinmetall for heavy tractor units. By this, the forces are to receive additional 56 Elefant 2 heavy-duty transporters. Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) will deliver the vehicles in 2026 and 2027. The contract is worth approximately 60.5 million EUR gross.

The Bundeswehr had initially awarded a framework contract for the supply of up to 137 vehicles, ordering the first 32 Elefant 2 under this agreement. The framework contract ran for seven years and included the option to order further Elefant 2 vehicles with a total contract value of EUR 122 million gross, which were to be delivered by early 2025. Due to increased demand, this framework contract has now been extended once again to include a further 56 vehicles.

The HX81 Elefant 2 is fitted with an eight-cylinder diesel engine producing 680 hp. This enables the highly manoeuvrable four-wheel-drive lorry to reach a top speed of 89 km/h and is able to climb gradients of 60 per cent. The technically permissible gross combination weight is 135 tonnes. The Elefant 2 has the same driver’s cabin as the UTF family. The vehicle’s equipment also includes a twin-winch system from Rotzler, each with a pulling force of 20 tonnes.

The HX81 Elefant 2 marked a new addition to the Bundeswehr’s heavy-lift transport (SLT) fleet. The unarmoured Elefant 2 thus complements the armoured heavy-lift transporter Mammut, which was also supplied by RMMV. The transport of heavy combat vehicles is a key capability, particularly in view of Germany’s role as a logistical hub in NATO’s collective defence.

The HX81 Elefant 2 marks a new addition to the Bundeswehr’s heavy-lift transport fleet. The unarmoured Elefant 2 thus complements the armoured heavy-lift transporter Mammut, which was also supplied by RMMV. The transport of heavy combat vehicles is a key capability, particularly in view of Germany’s role as a logistical hub in NATO’s collective defence.

RHEINMETALL online