The Bundeswehr orders an additional 57 heavy tractor units.

Rheinmetall has been commissioned by the Bundeswehr to deliver 57 heavy semi-trailer trucks with a payload class of 70 tons (SaZgM 70t mil). The unprotected heavy transporters are scheduled to be delivered in the years 2023 and 2024. The contract value for the 57 vehicles is just over 50 million euros gross. The semitrailer trucks are mainly used by the armed forces for the transport of heavy armored vehicles, such as the Leopard 2 battle tank or the PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer.

The current order is the final call-off from a framework contract concluded in 2018 for the delivery of up to 137 SaZgM 70t mil. Out of the framework contract with a duration of seven years, 80 semitrailer trucks have already been called-off and delivered to the Bundeswehr.

The HX81 semitrailer truck from Rheinmetall is equipped with an eight-cylinder diesel engine with 680 hp. This allows the highly mobile all-wheel-drive truck to reach a top speed of 89 km/h and to overcome inclines of up to 60 percent. The technically permissible towed total weight is 130 tons. The HX81 semitrailer truck has the same driver's cabin as the Rheinmetall UTF vehicle family. The cabin can be exchanged for a protected variant if necessary. The vehicle equipment also includes a dual winch system from Rotzler with a pulling force of 20 tons each to tow heavy combat vehicles onto the off-road semitrailer trailers.

Important contribution to strengthening the logistical capabilities of the Bundeswehr

Logistics vehicles significantly contribute to the operational capability of combat units as well as their cold-start and endurance capabilities. The transport of heavy combat vehicles is a key capability in national and alliance defense. The HX81 complements the Bundeswehr's heavy transporters (SLT). In addition to the unprotected HX81, Rheinmetall also delivers the protected heavy transporter Mammut. This is complemented by the so-called Unprotected Transport Vehicles (UTF) and the Swap Body Systems (WLS).

Since 2018, Rheinmetall has delivered over 4,000 military trucks to the Bundeswehr. The 70t semitrailer truck, along with the UTF and WLS, forms the logistical backbone of the Bundeswehr.

RHEINMETALL online