The German “Armored Engineering Machine” project, created to replace part of the Bundeswehr’s aging Dachs engineering tanks, could move forward in 2026 with the delivery of the first two verification samples of the modernized AEV3 Kodiak.
According to information confirmed by the German Ministry of Defense and Rheinmetall to the specialist website hartpunkt, the two vehicles are expected to be delivered for testing in the second half of 2026. The manufacturer is working with the expectation of transferring them to Wehrtechnische Dienststelle 41 during the European summer, possibly before the start of the holiday period.
The program schedule has already undergone several delays since its tender was published in November 2019 by the Bundeswehr procurement office, BAAINBw. Initially, the expectation was that the verification samples would be delivered from 2023, with approval for use by 2025 and the arrival of the first systems to the troops in 2026.
The German Ministry of Defense said the latest schedule adjustment occurred because certain services planned by the contractor had not yet been sufficiently completed. Rheinmetall, meanwhile, said the vehicles will begin a phase of mobility and engineering capability tests, followed by a tactical operational evaluation.
The contract with Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH was signed in May 2021 and provides for the manufacture and delivery of 44 Kodiak engineering tanks for around 295 million euros. The package also includes training, equipment, initial spare parts and special tools. For the project, the Bundeswehr provided 44 Leopard 2A4 chassis.
In the competition, Rheinmetall presented a modernized version of the Kodiak, while FFG Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft took part with the WiSENT 2 in an armored engineering vehicle configuration. Rheinmetall’s proposal was ultimately selected.
The original schedule called for the arrival of five series-production vehicles in 2026, followed by 14 in 2027, 17 in 2028 and the final six in 2029. With the accumulated delays, the program is about three years behind the initial plan. It is still unclear whether part of this delay can be recovered during series production.
The AEV3 Kodiak is a third-generation armored engineering vehicle based on the Leopard 2 chassis. It was designed for missions supporting engineering troops, opening and clearing obstacles, creating barriers and working in hard-to-access areas, while keeping the crew protected during the replacement and use of special tools.
According to Rheinmetall, the Kodiak was developed to offer a high level of protection, mobility and interoperability with other vehicles already used by the Bundeswehr, such as the Büffel BPz3 armored recovery vehicle. The company highlights that the platform can be used both in military operations and in emergency and disaster situations.
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Source: hartpunkt, Rheinmetall and BMVg. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
