Rheinmetall LaZ400 for Dutch FENNEKs

Rheinmetall has announced a contract from the Dutch military to equip its FENNEK wheeled armoured reconnaissance vehicle with a new gun carriage-adaptable aiming device. The new device called “Lafettenadaptierbares Zielgerät 400”, or LaZ400 for short, will replace the vehicle’s existing thermal imaging system, thus expecting to enhance the FENNEK’s reconnaissance and target engagement capabilities. An order for 246 devices has been awarded to Rheinmetall Electronics through Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, the FENNEK prime contractor. The order is worth around €36M. Due to be delivered through to 2027, the devices will be built at the Rheinmetall Electronics plant in Ismaning in Bavaria.

The Lafetten¬adaptierbares Zielgerät 400 retrofit forms part of the Dutch military’s FENNEK midlife upgrade programme. They will mount the device on the vehicle’s 1530-type gun carriage.

The current order will bring the number of LaZ family devices now in use to over 2,700.

Juergen Hensel