Dutch Fennek midlife upgrade includes new targeting sensor
Lafettenadaptierbares Zielgerät 400 thermal imaging system. (Photo: Rheinmetall)
Rheinmetall announced on 3 August that it is adding a new gun carriage-adaptable aiming device to Fennek armoured reconnaissance vehicles in service with the Royal Netherlands Army.
Krauss-Maffei Wegmann placed a €36 million order for 246 Lafettenadaptierbares Zielgerät 400 (LaZ400) devices from Rheinmetall Electronics. Deliveries are due for completion in 2027 as part of a midlife upgrade programme for the Dutch Fennek fleet.
A glance at Shephard Defence Insight various ageing platforms in the Royal Netherlands Army inventory. For example, the Fuchs 1 is a design from the 1980s, Fennek was created in the 1990s and the PzH 2000 and Bushmaster were developed in the 2000s.
The LaZ400 replaces the existing thermal imaging system on Fennek. The Royal Netherlands Army will mount the LaZ400 on the 1530-type gun carriage on the vehicle.
The latest order brings to more than 2,700 the number of LaZ family devices in military use. LaZ400 is already used by the German Army in its FLW200 remotely controlled weapon station. ‘Its colour daylight sensor, thermal imaging sensor and laser rangefinder enable outstanding reconnaissance performance around the clock as well as precise engagement of targets,’ Rheinmetall claimed.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
DroneShield nets largest order ever with $40 million European CUAS contract
The package of three standalone follow-on contracts makes this the largest contract won by the Australian company and larger than its total 2024 revenue.
-
Patria completes test firing of new self-propelled gun as demand for systems grows
Patria quotes a maximum rate of fire of eight rounds a minute from the new ARVE (ARtillery on VEhicle) self-propelled gun with a range of 40km for an assisted round. The rapid, low-risk development is designed to meet emerging requirements which have arisen out of the Ukraine war.
-
US Army modernisation plans raise big concerns for lawmakers
The termination of programmes such as JLTV and RCV has been harshly criticised by members of the US Congress.
-
Sweden to purchase IRIS-T air defence systems for $930 million
This recent purchase of the medium-range air defence system adds to the country’s ongoing efforts to ramp up its overall defence readiness and capabilities.