Rheinmetall recently unveiled a tank killer on wheels concept for the German Army.
The futuristic anti-tank mission system concept, Panzerjaeger in German, is designed to provide a combination of situational awareness and fire superiority to ground forces.
Germany disbanded its tank destroyer force in 2006 due to little perceived necessity, featuring Jaguar and KanJPz tracked anti-tank platforms.
Russia’s Ukraine invasion, however, has revived interest in anti-tank capabilities, considering the enormous Russian armored fleet.
Weapon System
The 4×4 wheeled platform is equipped with the Israeli-designed Spike LR2 anti-tank guided missile as its main weapon system, featuring a range of 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles).
A pair of Spike launchers with four ready-to-fire missiles are mounted on the vehicle, in addition to a 7.62mm x 51 machine gun on a Natter remotely controlled weapon station.
The platform’s open architecture allows the integration of other guided missiles and HERO loitering munitions, according to Rheinmetall.
Reconnaissance
It features an EOS500 electro-optical sensor system mounted on a telescopic mast for reconnaissance, providing direct visual view with a target detection range of over 11 kilometers (6.8 miles).
Additionally, it is equipped with three fully-integrated Rheinmetall “Recce S” unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as HERO-R, with a reconnaissance range of 8 kilometers (5 miles).
The charging station is on board.
It also features the Rosy rapid obscurant system and the Acoustic Platform for Vehicles (APV) for self-protection.
The APV can calculate the enemy’s position through the detection of the munition’s launch signatures.
Integrated System
Due to thin armor, the anti-tank system will be used in support operations, providing fire support to attacking units, fending off counterattacks, or monitoring their flanks.
It will be integrated with ground troops and unmanned systems through digital, software-defined radios in conjunction with Tactical Core middleware.
