Rheinmetall MAN Military
Vehicles Australia (RMMVA) has been awarded a contract to supply New Zealand’s
armed forces with up to 200 vehicles.
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.
Commenting on the order, New
Zealand’s Defence Minister, Dr Jonathan Coleman said the new trucks will replace the old
Unimogs and heavier trucks that have been in 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.”
All trucks should be in service by 2015.
