Rheinmetall has handed over 20 additional Marder infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to the Ukrainian armed forces for their defence against the Russian invasion, the company announced on 25 October 2024.
The delivery was completed at the end of the third quarter of 2024 and brings the total number of combat vehicles delivered directly to Ukraine – or in the context of the so-called Ring-tausch (Ring) exchanges to around 200. A three-digit number of these systems are Marder 1A3 IFVs, according to Rheinmetall.
In addition, Rheinmetall has provided Marder IFVs and Leopard main battle tanks (MBYs) in double digits through a ring exchange process. The latest order for the delivery of 20 Marders, financed by the German government, is worth a mid-double-digit million-euro amount, Rheinmetall stated. The order intake was booked in March 2024.
The Marder 1A3 version being delivered by Rheinmetall to Ukraine features additional laser rangefinders for efficient and precise target engagement. The first delivery of 20 such vehicles was arranged by Rheinmetall on behalf of the German government in March 2023, while further deliveries followed, each in the double digits.
As early as the spring of 2022 Rheinmetall began taking over and refurbishing Marder 1A3 IFVs from Bundeswehr stocks, initially at its own expense, the company noted. This work is carried out at the company’s sites in Unterlüß and Kassel.
The Marder is one of the most proven weapon systems of its kind worldwide, according to Rheinmetall. It was developed for the Bundeswehr and is still in German service to some extent. Over the years it has been modernised several times and its combat performance enhanced. In the meantime, the Puma IFV has been introduced into the Bundeswehr, where it is gradually replacing the Marder. Over 300 Pumas are now in use by the German armed forces.
