New Zealand Orders 200 Trucks From Rheinmetall

New Zealand’s Defence Minister, Dr Jonathan Coleman, announced that Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia (RMMVA) has been awarded a contract to supply the country’s armed forces with up to 200 vehicles.

The contract was signed recently by Secretary of Defence Helene Quilter. Under the contract, which is worth NZ$113 million, Rheinmetall will begin supplying the trucks this year, with all of the vehicles due to be delivered by the end of 2014. 

The order encompasses trucks in three basic sizes: the 6-tonne 4x4, the 9-tonne 6x6 and the 15-tonne 8x8, in ten variants. Some of the trucks will be fitted with winches and cranes to allow completely independent operation. They include dump trucks for combat engineers, trucks fitted with specialized pallet and container handling equipment, and tractor/semi-trailer combinations to carry heavy vehicles and equipment. RMMVA is the Australian subsidiary of Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH (RMMV), the Rheinmetall Group’s specialist for logistical and tactical wheeled vehicles. 

Commenting on the order, Dr Jonathan Coleman, said, “The new trucks will replace the old Unimogs and heavier trucks that have given sterling service for nearly 30 years. The new trucks can carry more, use up-to-date technology to deliver maximum performance and efficiency, and can be equipped with extras such as armour, weapons and electronic equipment to protect the crew and allow them to function effectively on today’s battlefields.” 

The first training vehicles are due to arrive in mid-2013, meaning that operators can be trained before the bulk of the fleet begins arriving at the end of this year.