United to win: Rheinmetall to send 20 more Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine
The Marder 1A3 is an infantry fighting vehicle used by the airborne assault unit in Ukraine's armed forces. Photo: airborne assalt unit of Ukraine's armed forces
The German government instructed the Rheinmetall arms company to supply Ukraine with 20 additional Marder infantry fighting vehicles.
The company's press service reported this.
As noted, this order for the Defense Forces was placed in March.
The German arms manufacturer's press service notes that the 1A3 Marder version has been ordered for Ukraine. These infantry fighting vehicles are equipped with built-in laser rangefinders, which effectively and precisely eliminate targets.
The company delivered the first 20 combat vehicles to Ukraine on behalf of the German government in March 2023. Since then, several more batches have been delivered.
Delivery of this new batch is scheduled for 2024. The company emphasizes that its value is "a double-digit figure in millions of euros."
Rheinmetall has delivered a three-digit number of Marder infantry vehicles to Ukraine's armed forces through direct deliveries and cyclical exchange programs.
In the spring of 2022, the company purchased a pre-owned 1A3 Marder infantry fighting vehicle from the Bundeswehr. They also took responsibility for updating the equipment and ensuring it was ready for deployment at their own cost. Following this, a number of Rheinmetall facilities have been involved in the ongoing work.
"The Marder infantry fighting vehicle, which was developed for the Bundeswehr and is still in use there, is one of the most proven weapons systems of this type in the world. During its operation, the machine was repeatedly modernized, and its combat effectiveness increased," the company summarizes.
It should be added that the Bundeswehr currently has over 300 Puma infantry fighting vehicles in service. These state-of-the-art combat vehicles are the latest generation and are gradually replacing the Marder infantry vehicles in the German army.
It should be noted that 120 Marder infantry fighting vehicles were allocated from Germany as part of military aid for Ukraine, with some of them being purchased in Greece.
For reference:
Marder, a German infantry fighting vehicle, was designed and developed by Rheinmetall from 1966 to 1969 at the request of the German Armed Forces. The initial prototype was completed at the end of 1969, and production lasted until 1975.
In total, about 2,000 combat vehicles were built.
During its usage, the infantry vehicles surpassed all other competitors regarding security specifications. Starting in 2010, the Marder has been gradually replaced by the newer Puma infantry fighting vehicle.
The Marder combat vehicle is highly armored and boasts impressive speed and weaponry. However, it does have its flaws. The primary weapon of the Marder is the powerful 20 mm Rheinmetall Mk 20 Rh202 gun.
An automatic gun has a drawback in its absence of a sight stabilizer, making it difficult to aim accurately while moving. However, it does come equipped with thermal imaging and night sights. It can hold up to 1250 shells and has an effective firing range of 2,500 meters. In addition, it also has a twin 7.62mm MG3 machine gun with 5,000 rounds of ammunition as an extra weapon.
Modernized Marder infantry fighting vehicle at the Rheinmetall enterprise. Photo: Bild
It should be noted that in September, the German government gave an order to the Rheinmetall company to supply 40 more Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine.
In March, the company already shipped to Ukraine the first 20 infantry fighting vehicles ordered by the German government. In addition, another 20 vehicles were ordered in June 2023. They are now being repaired and shipped.
Rheinmetall mentioned that the equipment that was transferred had undergone an overhaul, including the Marder 1A3 systems that were previously used by the Bundeswehr. In early spring 2022, Rheinmetall took the initiative to ensure the infantry fighting vehicles were immediately ready for combat at their own expense.
На чеську ініціативу щодо закупівлі снарядів для України досі не вистачає коштів¸ – міністр оборони Естонії
Russia used the ODAB-1500 heavy air bomb in Ukraine for the first time – BILD
Зеленський: Україні потрібні ракети ATACMS для атак по цілях у Криму, а не по росії
Russia equips commonly used Kh-101 missiles with two warheads, making them twice as dangerous
