Germany's Rheinmetall Unveils Fuchs Tank Destroyer Armed with 24 U.S. AGM-179 Anti-Tank Missiles.

Germany's Rheinmetall has unveiled the Fuchs JAGM (Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles) at Enforce Tac 2026 in Germany, a wheeled armored vehicle capable of firing up to 24 U.S. AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles or AGM-114L Hellfire Longbow missiles. The system signals a shift toward high-volume, precision anti-armor fire from mobile ground platforms, with potential implications for NATO force structure and missile interoperability.

Germany's Rheinmetall has publicly introduced the Fuchs JAGM (Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles) at Enforce Tac 2026 in Germany, presenting a heavily armed evolution of its Fuchs wheeled armored vehicle configured as a missile tank destroyer. The platform can carry and launch up to 24 U.S. AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles or AGM-114L Hellfire Longbow missiles from a vertical launch architecture integrated with multi-target sensors. Designed to deliver rapid, precision anti-armor effects against maneuvering threats, the system combines mobility with a concentrated missile load typically associated with larger tracked vehicles or aviation assets. By pairing U.S.-origin munitions with a European armored chassis, Rheinmetall positions the Fuchs JAGM as a modular option for NATO operators seeking scalable, networked ground-based strike capability.
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Germany's Rheinmetall Fuchs JAGM armored missile tank destroyer displayed at Enforce Tac 2026 in Germany, showcasing its 24-cell vertical launch system for AGM-179 JAGM and AGM-114L Hellfire missiles integrated on the 6x6 Fuchs armored platform. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

The Fuchs JAGM (Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles) is built on Rheinmetall’s latest-generation Fuchs 6x6 wheeled armored vehicle, a combat-proven design widely used by the German Armed Forces and international operators. In this new configuration, the platform transitions from a traditional armored transport and support vehicle to a dedicated long-range precision-strike asset. By integrating 24 vertically launched Lockheed Martin missiles, Rheinmetall has effectively created one of the most missile-dense ground combat systems ever fielded on a wheeled chassis.

The system is designed to deploy the U.S.-developed AGM-179 JAGM, a dual-mode seeker missile combining semi-active laser and millimeter-wave radar guidance. This multi-mode configuration allows engagement of moving armored vehicles, fortified positions, and even aerial threats under degraded visual conditions. The alternative integration of the AGM-114L Hellfire Longbow provides radar-guided fire-and-forget capability with combat-proven performance. The vertical launch configuration enables 360-degree engagement without repositioning the vehicle, significantly enhancing reaction time and survivability in fluid combat environments.

Operationally, the ability to carry and launch 24 missiles without reload gives the Fuchs JAGM a saturation-strike profile far beyond traditional anti-tank guided missile carriers, which typically field four to eight ready rounds. Rheinmetall indicates that the system can detect and engage multiple threats in rapid succession, theoretically counter-attacking up to 24 main battle tanks or a combination of armored and aerial targets during a single engagement cycle. In high-intensity conflict scenarios characterized by massed armored assaults or coordinated drone operations, such magazine depth offers both deterrent value and sustained battlefield impact.

The vehicle integrates a modern sensor suite combining electro-optical targeting systems and radar-based detection. While full technical specifications remain undisclosed, Rheinmetall emphasizes autonomous detection and tracking capabilities, potentially allowing the Fuchs JAGM to operate within a networked kill chain alongside UAVs, ground surveillance radars, and higher-echelon command systems. This network integration aligns with NATO’s evolving doctrine, emphasizing distributed fires and sensor-to-shooter connectivity.

From a strategic perspective, the Fuchs JAGM reflects Europe’s accelerating shift toward mobile, high-volume precision fires as a response to renewed armored warfare on the continent. The resurgence of heavy mechanized formations and the widespread deployment of active protection systems have increased the demand for platforms capable of delivering rapid, multi-vector missile engagements. By adapting air-launched missile technology to a ground-based vertical launch system, Rheinmetall bridges the gap between traditional anti-tank teams and heavier surface-to-surface missile systems.

Interoperability is another decisive factor. The AGM-179 JAGM is entering service with U.S. forces, ensuring logistical and operational compatibility across NATO members. A European-produced ground launcher that can employ the same munition enhances alliance standardization while strengthening transatlantic defense-industrial ties.

The choice of the Fuchs 6x6 chassis further supports operational flexibility. The wheeled configuration provides high strategic mobility across European road networks and a reduced logistical burden compared to tracked alternatives, while still offering armored protection against small-arms fire and battlefield fragmentation. For medium-weight brigades and rapid reaction formations, the Fuchs JAGM offers a blend of mobility, survivability, and overwhelming firepower without the cost and deployment complexity of heavier platforms.

Alain Servaes, Chief Editor of Army Recognition, views the Fuchs JAGM as a significant evolution in ground combat doctrine. In his assessment, the system represents more than a high-capacity missile carrier. “What Rheinmetall is demonstrating with the Fuchs JAGM is the transformation of the armored vehicle into a mobile missile battery capable of shaping the battlefield before direct contact occurs,” Servaes notes. “In modern high-intensity warfare, the side that can detect first and launch multiple precision strikes within seconds gains a decisive advantage. A 24-missile vertical launch configuration on a protected wheeled chassis fundamentally changes how medium forces can counter heavy armor.”

Servaes further emphasizes the deterrence dimension of such a platform. “From a defense journalism perspective, this vehicle sends a strategic message. It shows that European industry is adapting quickly to lessons learned from recent conflicts, particularly the need for high-volume precision fires against mechanized formations. If fielded in numbers, a system like the Fuchs JAGM could significantly complicate any adversary’s armored breakthrough planning.”

The unveiling at Enforce Tac positions Rheinmetall at the forefront of missile-integrated ground combat systems. Whether the Fuchs JAGM transitions rapidly from exhibition prototype to operational procurement will depend on national budget priorities and doctrinal adoption. However, its introduction clearly signals a shift toward missile-dense, networked, and highly mobile anti-armor platforms designed to deliver rapid, decisive effects on tomorrow’s battlefield.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.