Ukraine Orders 20 Rheinmetall Marder IFVs

German defense company Rheinmetall has announced an order to supply Ukraine with 20 additional Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles.

The delivery is scheduled for the first half of 2025, with the order valued in the mid-double-digit million-euro range. Germany is financing the procurement. To date, Rheinmetall has supplied the Ukrainian armed forces with a three-digit number of Marder vehicles.

The Marder 1A3 is equipped with laser rangefinders for precise target engagement. Rheinmetall delivered the first 20 vehicles of this type on behalf of the German government in March 2023, followed by further shipments in double-digit quantities.

Rheinmetall began overhauling Marder 1A3 vehicles from its own stocks in early 2022, initially at its own expense. Since then, the vehicles have undergone continuous refurbishment and been delivered for operational use. The work is carried out at the company's facilities in Unterlüß and Kassel.

The Marder 1A3 vehicles being supplied to Ukraine feature laser rangefinders, enhancing their efficiency and precision in target engagement.

In late July, Rheinmetall announced receiving an order from the Ukrainian government to construct an ammunition factory in Ukraine. The company had earlier revealed plans to establish at least four production facilities in the country.