Out of the ordinary, Rheinmetall, a manufacturer of defense equipment from Germany, intends to build a factory in a region that is being hit by conflict. To be precise, Rheinmetall plans to produce armored vehicles in Ukraine. Interestingly, the type of armored vehicle to be made has also been mentioned, namely the TPz Fuchs 6x6.
The plan to build a factory in Ukraine has been disclosed by Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger in an article on the German language edition of the Bild portal – bild.de (20/5/2023). To realize the construction of a factory in Ukraine, Rheinmetall is collaborating with UkrOboronProm, the Ukrainian defense industry association.
"We will start there (Ukraine) with the maintenance and repair of ambulances and we want to start producing armored vehicles as soon as possible, for example the Fuchs armored personnel carrier," Papperger said.
In the early stages, Rheinmetall will try to provide the most critical needs of the Ukrainian military. To this end UkrOboronProm and Rheinmetall recently established a joint venture. Papperger said that Ukraine was also interested in the production of the Panther KF51 MBT (main battle tank) and the Lynx IFV (infantry fighting vehicle) armored vehicle.
On May 12, 2023, the Handelsblatt newspaper reported that Rheinmetall had entered into a joint venture with UkrOboronProm, on the basis of which all repair, production and maintenance work of military equipment in Ukraine will be carried out.
The joint venture company will be 51 percent owned by Rheinmetall, and the German company will also take over management. Equipment production can start in one year if it is done on an existing assembly line.
Previously, the German Ministry of Defense said that the country's government was preparing a new package of military assistance to Ukraine in the amount of € 2.7 billion. It was noted that Berlin plans to transfer to Kiev an additional 20 Marder IFV combat units, 30 Leopard 1A5 MBTs, 200 reconnaissance drones, logistics vehicles, four IRIS-T air defense systems, as well as ammunition. Also included are 18 howitzers and 100 other armored vehicles.
On May 14, 2023, at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that since February 2022, Germany has provided Ukraine with financial support of €17 billion.
Apart from the plan to build a Rheinmetall factory in Ukraine which is considered controversial. It is interesting to observe the figure of the TPz Fuchs 6×6 ranpur.
Historically, the Fuchs 6×6 is a versatile amphibious vehicle developed by Rheinmetall during the cold war era. In the late 1960s, the German Army (Bundeswehr) raised a need for a new amphibious combat vehicle capable of a variety of tasks, including personnel transport, firefighting and medical assistance.
And Rheinmetall was commissioned to develop a vehicle that met the above requirements. Rheinmetall then developed the Fuchs 6x6 with an innovative modular design. This vehicle uses a solid platform and is equipped with a propeller that allows it to operate in water.
This vehicle is also equipped with an NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) protection system that can protect the crew from the threat of chemical and biological weapons.
The Fuchs 6x6 was first introduced to the Bundeswehr in 1979 and was immediately used in a wide variety of tasks and missions in conflicts around the world. The vehicle has proven to be highly reliable and rugged, capable of operating in a variety of terrains, including marshy areas, rivers and marshes.
Over the following decades, Rheinmetall continued to develop and update the Fuchs 6x6 vehicle. Newer versions include enhancements to additional protection, communication systems, amphibious capabilities, and more advanced technology integration.
Fuchs 6×6 specifications
- Length: 6.90 meters
- Width: 2.98 meters
- Height: 2.49 meters
- Empty weight: 17 tons
- Maximum weight: 24 tons
- Engine: Mercedes-Benz Model OM 402A V-8 liquid-cooled diesel engine 320 hp.
- Maximum speed on the highway: 105 km per hour
- Maximum speed in water: 10 km per hour (equipped with two propellers)
- Mileage: about 800 km
- Transport capacity: approximately 11-13 personnel, including 3 crew members.
Specifications may vary depending on the variant and version used by the user's country, because the Fuchs 6×6 has various options and capabilities that can be adjusted according to needs.
Apart from Germany, countries that use the Fuchs 6×6 are Algeria, Israel, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.
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