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Rheinmetall modernizes Bundeswehr's Marder infantry fighting vehicle with new driver night vision devices
The Bundeswehr has commissioned Rheinmetall to further modernize the proven Marder infantry fighting vehicle. Rheinmetall Landsysteme is now delivering over 170 driver night vision devices for the Marder fleet. The order value of around 24 million euros gross also includes logistical components, training, and other services. Delivery will begin at the end of 2021 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

The new driver night vision device is the Spectus II model.

It combines the image of a low-light amplifier camera with that of a thermal imaging device, thus improving the driver's visibility even in unfavorable lighting conditions. In addition, the system is supplemented by a rearview camera. Cooperation partners in the project are Rheinmetall Technical Publications and Rheinmetall's subsidiary benntec Systemtechnik GmbH. The predecessor system, Spectus I, was already integrated by Rheinmetall as an operational urgent requirement for the ISAF mission in Afghanistan in the Marder 1 A5A1 fleet.

The contract awarded to Rheinmetall continues the success story of extending the Marder's service life. In December 2019, Rheinmetall was commissioned by the German armed forces to carry out an extensive modernization of a portion of the Marder fleet. Furthermore, the contract holds potential for further orders in Germany and abroad, for example, through the approval of the procurement of new thermal imaging gunner sights and commander sights in the Bundeswehr's Marders by the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag on October 7, 2020. Besides Germany, Chile, Indonesia, and Jordan also utilize the Marder infantry fighting vehicle. Pimp my Marder: Why extending the Marder's service life is necessary. 

As a developer and system house, Rheinmetall has proven expertise and experience with the Marder infantry fighting vehicle. The weapon system rolled off the production lines at the predecessor organizations of today's Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH in Kassel. The extremely reliable and combat-proven Marder will remain an important workhorse of the German mechanized infantry for several more years, even though the successor Puma will soon be introduced in a quantity of 350 units. Mechanized infantry attacks! Marder versus Puma - WATCH the video on SPARTANAT comparing the functions of the two infantry fighting vehicles.

BUNDESWEHR online: www.bundeswehr.de

RHEINMETALL DEFENCE online: www.rheinmetall-defence.com