Swedish Army orders Rheinmetall HX Heavy Trucks for Patriot Air Defense
Following Sweden’s decision to purchase the Patriot Air Defense by Raytheon the search started for suitable vehicles.
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, FMV, is a civil authority that operates directly under the Swedish Government. With a turnover of SEK 15 billion they deliver defense logistics to their key partner, the Swedish Armed Forces.
FMV has a framework agreement for the acquisition of various types of wheeled vehicles for the Swedish Armed Forces. For the Patriot system FMV will use the existing agreement, and the call-off consists of three different vehicle variants; tractors, crane trucks and container cars. All vehicles have a high terrain accessibility. Deliveries begin during the first quarter of 2021.
Rheinmetall confirmed the order in a Press Release (Jan 2019):
Rheinmetall has been awarded a contract from the Swedish armed forces to supply vehicles for transporting Patriot air defence systems made by Rheinmetall’s partner Raytheon. Starting in the first quarter of 2021, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) will supply Sweden with a total of forty high-mobility trucks from its HX series, including 16 tractor trucks and 24 transport vehicles. The order is in the double-digit million-euro range.
FMV, the Swedish procurement authority, has already ordered other HX vehicles for its logistics corps. The latest order placed with RMMV for transport vehicles for the Patriot air defence system is in line with the vehicle family concept; moreover, it underscores the customer’s satisfaction with these tried-and-tested “military-off-the-shelf” vehicles.
The latest generation of HX2 vehicles fulfils all the criteria modern logistic vehicles are expected to meet: maximum mobility, ruggedness, versatility and the ability to handle even the worst roads and toughest terrain. Increasingly important, too, are flexible add-on force protection solutions for safeguarding the crew. At the same time, HX2s are among the world’s most widely used military trucks, with some 10,000 currently in service around the globe, representing enormous operational experience. Particularly in multinational operations, the ubiquity of Rheinmetall MAN vehicles offers big advantages when it comes to interoperability and logistics. Among others, the current group of user nations includes Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Denmark. In the meantime, Norway, Sweden and – most recently – Germany have all placed substantial orders with Rheinmetall MAN as well.
Sources: (FMV and Rheinmetall)
The newly awarded order is the first joint procurement project of Raytheon and Rheinmetall since the launch of their teaming agreement in March 2018. Patriot forms the backbone of integrated air defense and anti-missile defense for seven NATO nations, and is interoperable with seven other partner countries worldwide.