German Army Marder 1 IFV upgrade moves ahead

The German Army is moving forward with the life-extension programme for its Marder 1 infantry fight vehicles (IFVs), 50 years after the first rolled off the production line.

Rheinmetall announced in January 2020 that it had been awarded a EUR110 million (USD133 million) contract to supply the Germany Army with 78 kits to upgrade 71 Marder 1A5 IFV between 2020 and 2023 to extend their operational lives. The remaining seven kits will be used as spares.

As well as the kits, the company will also supply vehicle tool kits and special tools, logistical support, initial stores of spare parts, training, and instruction.

Rheinmetall told Janes that the first of these kits will be integrated into a Marder 1A5 IFV at the company's Unterluss facilities by the third quarter of 2022 for trials. The German Army will install these in the Marder 1A5 IFV.

Current Marder 1A5 IFVs are powered a MTU MB 833 Ea-500 6-cylinder water-cooled diesel developing 600 hp, coupled to a HSWL 194 automatic transmission.

This gives a power-to-weight ratio of 16.21 hp/tonne as the gross vehicle weight (GVW) of the Marder 1A5 IFV has increased to 37,000 kg due to an enhanced armour protection package (for higher level of protection against mines and improvised explosive devices [IEDs]).

A Rheinmetall spokesperson confirmed that the new powerpack consists of this engine upgraded to develop 755 hp, coupled to an upgraded HSWL 194 transmission and fitted with digitised engine electronics, and when fitted will give the IFV a power-to-weight ratio of 20.40 hp/tonne.