Bundeswehr Expands Heavy Transport Vehicle Fleet

The Bundeswehr has expanded its cooperation with Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) by ordering 56 additional Elefant 2 heavy transport vehicles. The procurement extends an existing framework agreement and supports Germany's heavy military transport infrastructure for the movement of armored and heavy combat vehicles within national and NATO operations.

Supporting Military Logistics
Heavy transport vehicles are essential for relocating main battle tanks and other armored platforms without contributing to track wear or reducing vehicle availability. The additional vehicles will support military logistics operations and improve transport capacity across the Bundeswehr's heavy-lift fleet.

The order extends the framework contract originally awarded in 2018. Deliveries of the newly ordered vehicles are scheduled for 2026 and 2027 under a contract valued at approximately EUR 60.5 million. The expanded agreement follows an earlier procurement of 32 vehicles and increases fleet capacity in response to operational demand.

Technical Solution and Partner Responsibilities
Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles is responsible for manufacturing and delivering the Elefant 2 heavy transporters, while the Bundeswehr integrates the vehicles into its heavy transport operations.

The Elefant 2 is based on the HX81 heavy-duty logistics platform and is powered by a 680 hp eight-cylinder diesel engine. The four-wheel-drive vehicle reaches speeds of up to 89 km/h, negotiates gradients of up to 60 percent, and supports a technically permissible gross combination weight of 135 tonnes. Each transporter is equipped with a dual Rotzler winch system, providing two independent winches with a pulling force of 20 tonnes each for vehicle recovery and loading operations.

The vehicle shares its driver's cabin with the Bundeswehr's UTF truck family, supporting fleet standardization and simplifying operator training and maintenance.

Deployment and Operational Applications
The Elefant 2 complements the armored Mammut heavy transport system already supplied by RMMV. While the Mammut provides protected transport capability, the unarmored Elefant 2 expands transport capacity for moving heavy combat vehicles between military bases, maintenance facilities, training areas, and deployment locations.

The additional transporters will be incorporated into the Bundeswehr's existing logistics infrastructure, strengthening Germany's ability to support large-scale military mobility and sustainment requirements as part of NATO's collective defence framework.

Operational Impact
Increasing the number of heavy transport vehicles improves fleet availability and transport flexibility while reducing dependence on operational combat vehicles for long-distance road movement. Standardizing vehicles under the existing framework agreement also supports maintenance efficiency, spare parts management, and operator familiarity across the heavy transport fleet.

Edited by Sucithra Mani, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

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