The newly created German 45th Brigade, which will be permanently stationed in Lithuania, will receive 65 new Dingo 2 A4.1 armored vehicles.

The German media Hartpunkt reported on this.

According to the publication, the supply contract between the Bundeswehr’s procurement office BAAINBw and the manufacturer KNDS was signed on December 19, 2024.

The first vehicles are to be delivered to the troops in early 2027, simultaneously with the planned acquisition of full operational capability by the newly created brigade.

The 65 Dingo 2 A4.1 will be delivered under a framework agreement concluded in November 2023, which provides for a total of 233 Dingo 2 A4.1 vehicles.

This contract for 65 armored vehicles is the second firm‘s contract within this framework agreement. Prior to this, 50 vehicles were ordered to replace the 50 Dingos delivered to Ukraine. These vehicles are due to enter service in 2026.

Unlike previous versions of the Dingo 2, the A4.1 is based on a more modern Unimog chassis, which provides it with a higher payload compared to the Dingo 2 modifications in service with the German military. The permissible gross vehicle weight will be increased from 13.2 tons to 14.5 tons.

The vehicle will also receive a new 6-cylinder turbo-diesel engine with an output of 240 kW (326 horsepower), while previous versions are equipped with an engine with an output of only 163 kW (221 horsepower).

The German team in Lithuania

On December 19, 2023, Germany and Lithuania signed an official agreement on the deployment of a German brigade in Lithuania.

According to the plan, the 45th Brigade of the German Army, consisting of 4,800 soldiers and 200 civilians, will be deployed in Lithuania.

The first group of German soldiers arrived in Lithuania in April 2024. They are to ensure planning for the redeployment of the rest of the brigade to Lithuania and coordinate military infrastructure requirements.

According to the plan, the brigade will be fully operational in 2027, and its deployment will be launched in 2025-2026.

The 203rd Panzer Battalion and the 122nd Mechanized Battalion are to become the unit’s core. They are armed with Leopard 2A6 tanks and Puma infantry fighting vehicles. The brigade will also include a NATO multinational battlegroup in Lithuania of about 1,000 troops from other NATO countries.