New Zealand Army takes delivery of first 40 trucks from Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia.

The new trucks can carry more, use up-to-date technology to deliver maximum performance and efficiency, and can be equipped with armour and weapons to protect the crew and allow them to function effectively on today’s battlefields.

The delivery is part of the contract which was awarded to Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia (RMMVA) in April 2013 to supply the country’s armed forces with up to 200 vehicles. The contract is worth NZ$113 million (€74 million).

The order encompasses trucks in three basic sizes: the 6-tonne 4x4, the 9-tonne 6x6 and the 15-tonne 8x8, in ten variants. Some of the trucks will be fitted with winches and cranes to allow completely independent operation. They include dump trucks for combat engineers, trucks fitted with specialized pallet and container handling equipment, and tractor/semi-trailer combinations to carry heavy vehicles and equipment. RMMVA is the Australian subsidiary of Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH (RMMV), the Rheinmetall Group’s specialist for logistical and tactical wheeled vehicles.

Pietro Borgo, member of the executive board of Rheinmetall Defence, said “We are delighted to provide the NZ Defence Forces with its first vehicles on time after only having signed the contract in April this year. Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles prides itself on being a dependable supplier of an outstanding vehicles system and providing reliable customer support.”

The contract includes vehicles, armour protection kits, weapons mounts and an extensive range of specialized military equipment. It also covers spares, logistic support arrangements, project management and extensive training packages.