Dutch Fennek midlife upgrade includes new targeting sensor

3rd August 2021 - 09:38 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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Lafettenadaptierbares Zielgerät 400 thermal imaging system. (Photo: Rheinmetall)

Retrofit enhances reconnaissance and target engagement capabilities for Fennek.

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.