Rheinmetall presents high-roof version of Fuchs armoured vehicle

Rheinmetall has developed a high-roof version of the Fuchs wheeled armoured transport vehicle for roles such as armoured ambulances (pictured) and tactical operations centres. (Rheinmetall)

Rheinmetall announced in a press release on 14 October that it has developed a high-roof version of the Fuchs (Fox) 6x6 armoured transport vehicle for roles such as armoured ambulances and tactical operations centres.

The armoured ambulance demonstrator is being presented at the convention of the Gesellschaft für Wehrmedizin und Wehrpharmazie, a German non-governmental organisation devoted to military medicine and pharmaceuticals, in Koblenz on 14–15 October.

The demonstrator's interior volume now measures 12 m ³ and the headroom has been increased from 1.26 m to 1.6 m. The armoured ambulance version can carry two wounded soldiers lying down and two seated.

It is equipped with a 360° panoramic vision system featuring fusion and a day/night capability like that used by the Puma infantry fighting vehicle, with the possibility of connecting additional sensors, installing a weapons station, and using virtual reality goggles to allow the crew to ‘see' through the vehicle's armour. Like the Puma, the Fuchs can communicate with dismounted personnel, including medics equipped with a special version of the Infanterist der Zukunft (Future Infantry, IdZ) system, giving them the same situational awareness as the soldiers they support.

The upgraded Fuchs has a new more powerful engine, transfer gearbox, breaking system, and digital onboard electronics, improving its off-road performance and making it more ergonomic, according to Rheinmetall.