Germany to Order 23 New Bergepanzer 3 A2s to Replace Vehicles Transferred to Ukraine

Germany plans to purchase 23 new Bergepanzer 3 A2 Büffel armored recovery vehicles to replace obsolete Bergepanzer 2 vehicles, as well as equipment transferred to Ukraine in 2022.

This was reported by the German defense publication Hartpunkt, citing sources familiar with the Bundeswehr’s rearmament program.

A corresponding proposal to fund the project has already been submitted to the budget and defense committees of the German parliament for consideration. The plan involves purchasing 23 vehicles to replace 21 Bergepanzer 2 and two Bergepanzer 3 vehicles that were transferred to Ukraine after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.

According to the publication, Rheinmetall is expected to win the contract for the production and supply of the equipment. Delivery of the new vehicles is scheduled for the period from March 2028 to June 2029.

The new Bergepanzer 3 A2 Büffel variant will feature a modernized crane system with increased lifting capacity, as well as a new hull based on the Leopard 2 tank, developed by Rheinmetall.

The total cost of purchasing 23 vehicles, along with a set of spare parts and auxiliary equipment, is estimated at approximately €360 million.

Thus, the cost of a single vehicle will be less than €15 million, which is significantly lower than the previously announced estimates of €20 million per unit.

Fears regarding excessively long delivery times have also not materialized. If the contract is signed in the near future, the first vehicles could be delivered to the military less than two years after the agreement is concluded.

The current procurement is the result of lengthy discussions regarding the modernization of the Bundeswehr’s fleet of armored recovery vehicles. In 2025, this issue was the subject of a separate review by the German Bundestag – Budget Committee.

In September 2025, lawmakers approved a mechanism allowing for the direct procurement of replacement vehicles from Rheinmetall for those transferred to Ukraine, while the remainder of the fleet’s modernization must be carried out through open competitive procedures.

According to military experts, the Bundeswehr will eventually need more than 100 modern armored recovery vehicles to fully replace the Bergepanzer 2 and establish a reserve fleet.

It is expected that by the end of 2026, Germany will announce a large-scale tender for an entire family of armored support vehicles.

In addition to recovery platforms, the program may include engineering vehicles and specialized variants based on the Leopard 2.

Earlier, Germany announced that it planned to purchase 75 additional Leopard 2 tanks in the most advanced version.