Rheinmetall is supplying 20 additional Marder infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) to Ukraine as part of a German government contract.
Berlin awarded the multi-million-euro contract in May as part of a 2.7-billion euro ($2.9 billion) defense package for Ukraine.
The vehicles are scheduled to be delivered this summer.
Ukraine Could Receive 120 Marders This Year
Ukraine has already received 40 Marders: 20 shipped by Rheinmetall and 20 by the German government from its military stock.
Rheinmetall stated that it could deliver an additional 60 Marders to Ukraine at a rate of up to 10 vehicles per month. It added that work is already underway in its Kassel and Unterlus plants.
Military Equipment Exchange Program
Meanwhile, Germany will send 40 Marders to Greece under the Ringtausch program.
The program entails sending surplus Western defense equipment to a country in exchange for Soviet-built weapons for Ukraine.
Rheinmetall is part of various Ringtausch exchanges involving the armed forces of Greece, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
“The vehicles being made available are overhauled Marder 1A3 systems formerly owned by the Bundeswehr,” the Düsseldorf-based defense contractor explained.
“As early as spring 2022, Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH began restoring the infantry fighting vehicles to a state of immediate combat readiness at its own expense at its sites in Unterlus and Kassel.”
