This is an updated article, written by Waldemar Geiger, was originally published in German by https://www.hartpunkt.de/ on 7th October 2024. Hartpunkt and Calibre are collaborating to bring you the best content from across Europe. 

The Bundeswehr’s Fennek replacement, the Next Generation Reconnaissance Vehicle (SpähFz NG), is to be based on the Piranha 6×6 from General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS). The vehicle has successfully prevailed in the tender for the Korsak programme, hartpunkt has learned from well-informed sources. The Piranha has beaten Rheinmetall’s offering of the Fuchs Evolution, and KNDS Germany, with the Patria CAVS.

However, it will certainly take some time before the Piranha vehicle can finally be declared the winner of the comparison competition. First the contract award must go through the parliamentary process (Note: Germany has a “25 million bill”, which mandates that any defence procurement over 25 million Euros must receive parliamentary approval). According to well-informed sources, the aim is to conclude a contract at the end of this year or at the beginning of 2025.  If this actually happens, it would be the second Bundeswehr project within a short period of time that would be implemented on the basis of the Piranha platform, as the platform is also being evaluated as part of the so called Tactial Wide Area Network for Land Operations (TaWAN) project. TaWAN is intended to ensure communication between forces on the battlefield, which will be equipped with digital radios in the future, and the rear echelons via directional radio.

With the Korsak, the Bundeswehr intends to replace some of the light 4-wheel Fennek reconnaissance vehicles currently used by the army reconnaissance troops. According to a publication by the Bundeswehr Procurement Office BAAINBw at the time the competition was opened (autumn 2023), the Bundeswehr intends to procure up to 252 new reconnaissance vehicles, of which only 92 vehicles will be firmly ordered in the first step. The first two systems, which are to serve as proof samples, are scheduled to arrive in 2026, provided that the intended conclusion of the contract is not delayed. The 90 additional series vehicles are to follow in 2027 and 2028. 162 additional reconnaissance vehicles are included as an option.

Little is known about GDELS’s Piranha 6×6 offering as the vehicle has not yet been publicly revealed. Observers assume that GDELS will adapt a current 8×8 Piranha platform for the offering. To do this, the vehicle would be shortened by one axle and the corresponding length. Since the Korsak specifications also require the vehicle to be able to swim, it can be assumed that the vehicles on offer will not be much more heavily armoured than STANAG 4569 Level 2. Combined with the weight savings from the shortening of the length, the removal of the fourth axle, the lighter armour and the drive train designed for the mass of an 8×8 vehicle, the 6×6 Piranha should have a high power-to-weight ratio.

With the Piranha, the army reconnaissance troops would receive a vehicle that was developed on the basis of a modern combat vehicle. The Piranha engine is not located behind the driver’s cab as it is in the Fuchs 6×6 used by the Bundeswehr, but to the right of the driver’s seat. One of the advantages of this is that the front part of the vehicle roof is also available for the integration of superstructures – a turret or  sensors. With the Fuchs, for comparison, superstructures can only be integrated behind the engine, since the roof area above the engine must remain free. Placing a remote weapon station as far forward as possible on the vehicle extends the effective sector of the weapon both in the downward swivel range (important for rear slope positions) and when acting around obstacles (e.g. the corner of a house), where a significantly smaller vehicle area has to be “presented”.

Korsak’s technical requirements, a shift from the Fennek 

As a previous publication by the BAAINBw on the European online procurement platform TED shows, the Korsak is “the main mobility and functional carrier of vehicle-based reconnaissance. As an armoured, wheel-based vehicle, the Next Generation Reconnaissance Vehicle (SpähFz NG) is intended to ensure the survivability of the Army reconnaissance troops in the Area of ​​Intelligence Responsibility through high tactical mobility, (including buoyancy), comprehensive equipment with communication/information systems and navigation means as well as means of assertiveness and sustainability.”

Armament

All that is publicly known so far is that the Korsak will have a 25 mm cannon as well as D-LBO guidance equipment (Note: D-LBO stands for Digitisation of Land-Based Operations, and refers to the Bundeswehr’s programme to digitise its comms networks and decision making infrastructure) and a smoke grenade launcher.

According to information available to hartpunkt, the cannon in question and the associated “turret” are “specified” to the industry. This system, known as a “cross-sectional weapon system for medium armored platforms,” ​​is a turret-cannon combination that is being developed/selected as part of the “airmobile weapon carrier” (LuWa – replacement for the Wiesel) procurement project. However, according to hartpunkt sources, the bidding process is to be officially cancelled, as the offer from the potential LuWa contractor Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH is understood to be significantly higher than the budget available to the BAAINBw. 

Nevertheless, it is said that both the turret design and the manufacturer of the 25 mm cannon have been decided, as only Rheinmetall submitted an offer on time. Rheinmetall showed a “Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle” variant of the Fuchs Evolution armed with a Rheinmetall KBA 25 x 137 mm cannon at Eurosatory 2024 in Paris. The gas-operated KBA weighs around 112 kg and has a dual feed belt with a rate of fire up to 600 rounds per minute. However, the KBA can also be operated in single shot and fast single shot modes, in which case the rate of fire is 100 or 200 rounds per minute. The cannon was integrated into a light, stabilized medium-caliber turret from the Slovenian manufacturer Valhalla Turrets. The weight of the turret and weapon is said to be around 700 kg. For comparison, the Fennek typically carries a remote weapon station armed with a heavy machine gun, so the Piranha will mark a real increase in lethality. 

According to hartpunkt sources, the Korsak is not expected to have an anti-tank capability, which will instead be implemented using the Bundeswehr’s existing man-portable anti-tank weapons. In the future, however, the possibility of using loitering munitions is also being considered. In addition, the Korsak will have numerous means of communication that allow the transmission of voice and data on different frequency bands. This will enable the crew to radio reconnaissance results to higher command if necessary or to call up long-range fire support and direct it to the target.

Mobility

According to insiders, the tender was designed to be independent of the mobility platform. This means that manufacturers were not required to enter the competition with a vehicle with a 4×4, 6×6 or 8×8 drive configuration. However, there are required parameters that indicate that the winning vehicle is likely to be a 6×6 or 8×8 platform. It is known that the Korsak was required to reach a maximum speed of at least 100 km/h with a range of at least 1,100 km at a cruising speed of 60 km/h on a level road.

According to reports, a total mass of less than 30 tonnes is required, of which 20 percent is intended for growth capacity. In order for this to succeed, the fully loaded production vehicle including crew must not exceed the 25-tonne weight limit.

An amphibious capability was a desirable element, but the relatively high score assigned to  this criterion indicates that vehicles with amphibious capabilities were offered in order to succeed. A must-have criterion, however, is a creeping mode, which is designed to be technology-neutral. The solution therefore does not have to include a hybrid drive, which is often a go-to solution for slow movement and silent overwatch.

Sensors

The “main weapon system” of every reconnaissance vehicle is the sensor technology and corresponding communication systems. According to information available to hartpunkt, the Korsak will have a mixture of optical and optronic observation systems, as well as acoustic sensors and electronic intelligence systems that enable reconnaissance in the electromagnetic spectrum. The ability to protect the vehicle in the electromagnetic spectrum was also required, which may indicate some form of jamming capability.