Fuchs upgrade adds mobility and extra interior space

Rheinmetall announced on 14 October that it has developed a new version of the Fuchs 6x6 wheeled armoured transport vehicle with a higher roof.

The upgraded vehicle ‘can serve in roles ranging from tactical operations centre to armoured field ambulance’, the company added.

Rheinmetall is presenting a demonstrator configuration of the armoured field ambulance on 14-15 October 2021 at a German military medicine convention in Koblenz.

The interior volume of the vehicle has been expanded to 12m3 with headroom of 1.6m (compared with 1.26m before). In the ambulance configuration, it can carry two prone wounded personnel and two seated.

Other features of the new-look Fuchs 6x6 include a more powerful engine, new transfer case and brake system and digital electrical system, as well as a 360-degree panoramic vision system identical to that installed on the Puma IFV to enhance crew situational awareness.

‘A NATO Generic Vehicle Architecture-conformant connection to additional sensors or a weapons station is possible, as is the use of virtual reality goggles’ that enable the crew to see through the armour, Rheinmetall added.

In its new form, crew members in Fuchs can communicate with dismounted forces equipped with Future Soldier – Expanded System (IdZ-ES) technology.