Rheinmetall to Modernize 25 Marder IFVs for Jordan

The German government has contracted with Rheinmetall to upgrade a further 25 Marder infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) for delivery to the Kingdom of Jordan under a German military assistance programme.

Delivery will begin in the first quarter of 2018. Booked in October 2017, the order is worth over €17 million without value added tax.

The contract was awarded under a German military aid programme aimed at bolstering the capabilities of the Jordanian armed forces in the fight against international terrorism as well as for border security and stabilization missions.

Under the contract, Rheinmetall will supply Jordan with twenty-five fully modernized, former German Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles, painted in a desert camouflage pattern. The package also encompasses spare parts, ammunition, documentation, special tools, customer support on location as well as training for operators and maintenance personnel.

In addition to Germany, Chile and Indonesia, Jordan is the fourth nation to deploy the enhanced-performance Marder. Rheinmetall has already supplied the Kingdom of Jordan with 25 vehicles of this type in 2016 and 2017.

The Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicle weighs about 35 tonnes. Its 600 HP-engine enables a top speed of around 65 km/h, and the fighting compartment seats nine soldiers. A 20mm RH-202 automatic cannon serves as the vehicle’s main armament.