Ukraine has signed another contract with Rheinmetall for the delivery of Caracal light air assault vehicles, financed by the German government’s upgrading initiative.
Following the first delivery of five Caracals in the so-called ‘winter package’ in November 2023, a further 20 vehicles are to be delivered in the coming months, main contractor Rheinmetall announced at the 2024 Enforce Tac defence exhibition, held from 26 to 28 February in Nuremberg, Germany. The vehicles will be designed for maximum land mobility and effective deployment by the Ukrainian special forces.
According to Rheinmetall, the order intake for the Caracal from Germany, the Netherlands and now Ukraine emphasises the global relevance of this bi-national partnership and its contribution to international security. The close co-operation between Rheinmetall, Mercedes Benz and ACS has not only resulted in a state-of-the-art military vehicle, but also in a strategic alliance that combines the individual strengths of the partners: With the new military G-model 464 series, the Caracal combines a powerful automotive large-scale production platform with a modular and industrially scalable design from ACS.
The Caracal airborne vehicle family is based on the new G-Class chassis of the 464 series and is equipped with a six-cylinder 183 kW Euro 3 diesel engine, which can accelerate the vehicle to speeds of up to 140 km/h. At 4.35 m long, 1.81 m wide and 1.85 m high, the vehicle is one of the most compact platforms in its class. In conjunction with the 4×4 all-wheel drive, the Caracal has a high level of off-road mobility, which allows the vehicle to climb gradients of up to 60%. It can climb vertical obstacles 33 cm high and cross trenches 50 cm wide.
The final assembly of the role-specific military scaffolding equipment is carried out by Rheinmetall, which contributes the ability to manufacture these locally in the respective customer countries, customised and in appropriate quantities, and to supply them logistically over the entire product life cycle.
The Caracal platform not only offers maximum mobility on land and in the air, but also the ability to integrate ballistic protection, various weapon systems and technologies, as well as state-of-the-art reconnaissance and communication technology.
Deliveries of the Caracal to Germany are scheduled to begin in 2025.
