Defense industries of Ukraine and Germany are increasingly strengthening cooperation: its next step should be the production of Fuchs armored personnel carriers on Ukrainian territory.

In May 2023, the Ukrainian concern Ukroboronprom and the German Rheinmetall entered into a strategic partnership agreement.

Its goal is to establish a joint venture, which is scheduled to begin work in mid-July 2023.

Initially, the cooperation will entail the maintenance and repair of armored vehicles.

At future stages, the partners intend to jointly produce Rheinmetall products in Ukraine, as well as develop promising samples of weapons and military equipment.

Rheinmetall SEO, Armin Papperger, said that the joint venture plans to start production of Fuchs armored personnel carriers.

Also, the head of sales at Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH said that Ukraine would become the first recipient of the newest version of the armored vehicle – Fuchs Evolution.

It is possible that Ukraine will begin to receive Fuchs APCs as part of defense assistance from the German government.

According to Rheinmetall, about 1,600 Fuchs armored vehicles have already been built. There are about 940 Fuchs in service with the Bundeswehr, 272 of which are in the 1A8 version.

Fuchs development

In the 60s, Germany needed a vehicle that would perfectly balance protection, mobility and load capacity.

The development of the TransPortsPanzer-1 (TPz.1) wheeled armored personnel carrier, designed to replace in the Bundeswehr units the American made М113 tracked APCs and the French Hotchkiss light tracked APC, was launched by Daimler-Benz with the participation of Porsche specialists in 1973.

Serial production of the APC, which received its own designation Fuchs (“Fox”), began in 1979 at the plant of Thyssen-Henschel, which became the main contractor.

Later, the company was bought out by Rheinmetall Landsysteme, since 1999 it has been part of the large defense concern Rheinmetall AG.

As part of the Fuchs APC production program, several companies were involved, namely: Daimler-Benz (engine, axle, control), ZF Friedrichshafen (transmission), Jung Jungenthal (hull).

The main requirements of the Bundeswehr command are as follows:

• basic version of the APC must carry an infantry section with personal weapons;
• possibility of firing with personal weapons from the vehicle, as well as quick embarking and disembarking through the door in the aft part of the hull must be provided;
• ability to create specialized vehicles for various purposes on the basis of APC;
• high degree of unification of the APC with the equipment in service;
• achievement of increased (at least 1.5 times) operational range compared to tanks and tracked IFVs;
• APC service life must be at least 20 years, subject to periodic modernization.

The armored personnel carrier has a traditional layout with the location of the driver’s compartment in front, the engine compartment inside and the squad compartment in the stern of the combat vehicle.

At the same time, the engine compartment is separated from the compartments of the crew and troops with firewall protection. Nevertheless, it remains possible to move from the driver’s compartment to the squad compartment through the passage on the right side of the armored personnel carrier.

The all-metal hull of the APC, made of steel armor plates, provides protection for the crew and troops from small arms fire (including armor-piercing bullets), as well as debris of shells and mines.

The view is provided through a large frontal bullet-proof window, in addition, there are smaller armour glass in the side doors. In combat conditions, the glasses are covered by steel armor plates controlled from inside the vehicle, and the terrain is monitored through periscope devices installed on the hull.

A large set of devices allows it to constantly check the operating conditions of the armored vehicle, and an excellent view on each side allows you to drive without excessive difficulty.

The squad compartment inside the fighting vehicle can accommodate 10 soldiers. The main method of landing/disembarking from a combat vehicle is through a double-leaf door. For emergency abandonment of a combat vehicle, soldiers can use both these doors and hatches made in the top of the hull.

The sides of the hull have one embrasure for firing personal weapons. Embrasures are covered with armored guns controlled from the inside.

The TPz 1 Fuchs APC has an OM 402A series 8-cylinder V-shaped diesel engine manufactured by Daimler-Benz. This engine produces a maximum power of 320 hp and has a 6-speed automatic gearbox. This power is enough to disperse an APC with a combat weight of about 17 tons (standard) to 105 km/h on the highway. The maximum declared load capacity without loss of buoyancy is 4 tons. Range is 800 km.

The wheel arrangement of 6×6 and significant ground clearance of 400 mm provide TPz.1 with good cross-country capabilities. The combat vehicle has a three-axle chassis with a uniform arrangement of wheels on the base.

Two front axles are steerable, and the full turning radius of the APC is 17 meters. In combat conditions, an armored personnel carrier uses special bullet-proof tires with a built-in internal metal strain limiter, the diameter of which is less than the diameter of the tire itself. Such a device allows it to move for a long time at a reduced speed even with significantly damaged tires.

Fuchs is an amphibious armoured personnel carrier. Movement on the water surface is carried out with the help of two four-bladed propellers installed in the aft part of the vehicle. The movement direction is changed afloat by simultaneously turning the propellers and wheels. It is possible to move backwards, in this case the screws unfold 180 °. Three water pumps are installed to pump the water from inside the hull. On the frontal armor plate of the hull there is a deflector, which is lifted by a hydraulic drive. At the same time, the APC with the help of two propellers and wheels can move on the water at a speed of up to 10.5 km/h.

Filtration equipment is installed to protect against weapons of mass destruction.

The armament of the combat vehicle is represented by a different combination of machine guns: from one to three MG-3 7.62mm machine guns. Two machine guns were mounted on the MILAN ATGM vehicles. For self-defense, 6 smoke grenade launchers are also used, mounted on the sides of the hull.

Modifications

Based on the armored personnel carrier, many modifications were designed for a wide range of tasks.

For export, it offers a large selection of vehicle versions, including tank destroyer, self-propelled mortar, ARV and IFV.

The main APC’s versions, improvements and modifications:

• Fuchs TPz 1: basic armored version for infantry, sanitary and engineering purposes;
• Fuchs TpZ 1A1: Hummel jammer and HELAS direction finding vehicle;
• Fuchs TPz 1A2: command and communication vehicle, TPz 1A2/FuFu and TPz 1A2/PARA with RASIT radar;
• Fuchs TPz 1A3: a modification was created to detect radioactive, biological, chemical contamination of the territory;
• Fuchs TPz 1A4: modification with SEM 80/90 radio stations;
• Fuchs TPz 1A5: air defence control vehicle;
• Fuchs TPZ 1A6: TPz 1A3 modification with SEM 80/90 radios;
• Fuchs TPz 1A7: mobile command post;
• Fuchs TPz 1A8: Counter IED armoured vehicle;
• Fuchs TPz 1A8 Plus: the latest modernisation of Rheinmetall’s classic Fuchs.

During the modernization, the combat weight of the APC grew. For instance, the TPz 1A7 version, which received additional mounted ceramic armor such as MEXAS, anti-spall liner and improved protection against IEDs, including a system for jamming against controlled landmines, grew to 19 tons.

The latest version of the 1A8 vehicle offers significantly better protection against mines and improvised explosive devices compared to earlier models.

After upgrading the vehicle to the TPz 1A8 version, Rheinmetall can also install a remotely controlled FLW 200 weapon module with a M2HB 12.7mm heavy machine gun.

In addition, Rheinmetall now offers an even more advanced version of the vehicle – 1A8 Plus, which includes a new power unit, a new transfer case, an improved steering system, as well as a monitor and video surveillance system. This makes 1A8 even more agile off-road and more ergonomic to drive.

Also, the Bundeswehr ordered a TPz 1A8A13 Fuchs KAI version, which received sensors and a multifunctional “hand,” to detect and neutralize explosive devices.

It is worth noting that by order of the Netherlands, a modified TPz 1 APC was created with the 8×8 wheel arrangement to accommodate 16 soldiers.

In order to meet the customer’s requirements, the new project provided for a minor redesign of the hull with an “extension” of the chassis and corresponding changes in the transmission. However, the Netherlands abandoned the vehicles and adopted a tracked YPR-765. The experimental vehicle was sent into service with the Bundeswehr.

In 1988, the American company General Dynamics, in cooperation with Thyssen-Henschel, developed a variant of the Fuchs NBC APC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical), designed to conduct reconnaissance in areas that were exposed to weapons of mass destruction.

The United States Army adopted the Fuchs in service under the designation M93 Fox.

Fuchs 2

In late 2001 Rheinmetall reported that it had engineered and built a new version of the Fuchs armoured personnel carrier.

The first sample of Fuchs 2 was showcased in early 2001 at the MSPO international fair in Poland.

The advanced APC is currently in production, with known customers being the Algerian Army, Kuwait and UAE Armies.

The successor is an improved version of the vehicle, featuring, among other things, an enlarged combat compartment, a more powerful engine, an updated chassis, improved protection and a digital system.

The overall layout of the Fuchs 2 is almost identical to that of the original Fuchs armored rasporter.

The top of the squad compartment is raised by 145 mm for a larger useful volume. The air ventilation system was also changed to improve the comfort of soldiers.

The vehicle also increased its load capacity to 9,400 kg. One of its main advantages is armor, which was also improved.

The Fuchs 2 has add-on armour kits which provide protection against 12.7mm and 14.5mm armor-piercing rounds, artillery fragments, anti-tank and anti-personnel mines. There are also modules that give protection against 30mm armour piercing discarded sabot (APDS) rounds over the frontal arc.

For Fuchs 2, there is also an AMAP-ADS active protection system that is capable of striking shaped ammunition such as RPG-7 projectiles and ATGM.

At a maximum battle weight of 22,000 kg, the Fuchs 2 is fully amphibious and moves in the water with two propellers.

The Fuchs 2 APC can be equipped with a wide range of weapons systems, including its own single-seat turret armed with a 30mm gun and 7.62mm machine gun, as well as various missile launchers, including anti-tank.

Next stage: Evolution

The Fuchs Evolution is a logical development of the well-proven Fuchs 1 APC.

Mobility, protection and reliability are key characteristics of the new armored platform, the first operator of which will potentially be Ukraine.

The range of capabilities of the automotive system is designed for many tasks that the customer chooses.

Possible options for Fuchs Evolution are as follows:

• Classic APC;
• Ambulance;
• Engineer vehicle;
• Surveillance and reconnaissance vehicle;
• Command vehicle;
• EW vehicle;
• Version of artillery support;
• Explosive ordnance disposal variant.

Its length reaches seven meters, while its weight is 25,000 kg. The power of the diesel engine is now 455 hp. The maximum speed on the highway is 100 kilometers per hour.

Also at the test site at Kassel, Rheinmetall demonstrated an updated version of the Fuchs APC in black, which received the 7.62 mm NATTER weapon station.

The modular concept of the Natter 7.62 combat module allows the integration of different kits for holding weapons in caliber 5.56x45mm to 7.62x51mm.

Natter has an all-season FlexEye sensor system. Its characteristics enable displaying several targets on the operator’s monitor screen at the same time by means of digital image processing.

Better than BTR-4MV1?

Comparing the new German Fuchs Evolution with the Ukrainian promising БТР-4МВ1 APC that Ukrainian developers introduced in 2017, the first striking difference lies in armament.

The standard combat module for BTR-4MV1 is the BM-7 Parus, however, if necessary, another module can be installed, whether it is Shturm, Shqual or Hrim, which are capable of fighting armored vehicles.

So far, Rheinmetall offers a machine-gun-armed Natter 7.62 combat module for the new Fuchs Evolution armored personnel carrier. Although Rheinmetall is always capable of offering a wider range of modern weapons for its vehicles.

For example, the Fuchs 2 can be equipped with a number of weapons systems, including the Rheinmetall E8 turret or the Rheinmetall RLS 609 light combat module.

The weight of armored personnel carriers is quite similar, specialists of the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau increased the weight of the BTR-4MV1 up to 24-25 tons, which was 2-3 tons more than the older version of the BTR-4.

The armored personnel carriers are distinguished by wheel uniforms, when the Fuchs Evolution has 6×6, then the BTR-4MV1 has 8×8.

Combined with the German engine from Deutz and the American Alisson transmission, the maximum speed is 110 km/h. Fuchs Evolution develops a speed of 100 kilometers per hour.

The Fuchs Evolution received additional protection using ceramic elements and increased roof height of the squad compartment.

Ceramic armor has less weight than steel, at the same time, not inferior to the strength of armored steel, and in some ways even surpassing it.

Creating the BTR-4MV1, the engineers used a modular approach to building armor protection and spaced armor. The new frontal part of the vehicle received sloped armour and increased protection, due to which a much higher probability of ricocheting shells is achieved.

Conclusions

First of all, the attention should be paid to the possible production capacity. You can make a couple of dozen very good vehicles a year, or you can make more than a hundred good vehicles a year and close the needs of brigades in armored personnel carriers.

Rheinmetall already has a track record of deploying joint ventures in other countries. This should allow a significant number of time-tested Fuchs to be assembled in Ukraine each year.

For example, in 2021, the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau was supposed to produce 75 BTR-4Е in a year.

Rheinmetall, which was opened in Algeria, is to produce 1,200 Fuchs 2 armored personnel carriers in about 10 years, that is, 120 APCs per year.

Besides, Algeria plans to completely localize the production of armored personnel carriers, including the manufacture of an engine and a combat module, which can also be done in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s cooperation with Rheinmetall in assembling new Fuchs Evolution, which will also be created in different versions for a wide range of tasks, should significantly help strengthen the Armed Forces of Ukraine.