Rheinmetall has announced that they have received an order to supply Ukraine with a further 20 Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) with delivery currently scheduled for the first half of 2025.
The company stated that the order is worth a mid-range double-digit million euro amount and that the delivery will be financed by Germany. This is in addition to over 140 Marder IFVs that Rheinmetall has already supplied to the Ukrainian armed forces.
In the Marder 1A3 variant, an additional laser rangefinder has been integrated to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of target engagement. The initial batch of 20 combat vehicles of this model was supplied by the Rheinmetall Group on behalf of the German government in March 2023, with subsequent deliveries also occurring in batches of ten or more.
The main weapon system consists of the 20mm Rheinmetall MK 20 Rh202 autocannon, which is installed in a compact two-man turret. This autocannon is capable of firing both armour-piercing and high-explosive rounds. Additionally, a 7.62mm MG 3 machine gun is mounted coaxially to the left of the cannon.
Rheinmetall commenced the refurbishment of Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles from its inventory at its own expense in the spring of 2022. Since that time, these combat vehicles have been consistently repaired and made ready for immediate deployment. The refurbishment activities are being conducted at the company’s facilities located in Unterlüß and Kassel.
Marder infantry fighting vehicle
The Schützenpanzer Marder 1 is a tracked infantry fighting vehicle developed in Germany in the 1960s and specifically designed for the West German Panzergrenadiere units. Since the 1970s, it has served as the primary infantry fighting vehicle for the German Army. The Marder was created as part of the initiative to revitalize West Germany’s armoured vehicle manufacturing sector and has established itself as a reliable and effective design.
Although it originally featured several distinctive elements, such as a fully remote-controlled machine gun mounted on the rear deck and side gun ports for infantry use, these aspects have been modified or removed in subsequent upgrades to align with contemporary IFV standards. The machine gun has been repositioned to a coaxial mount, while the gun ports have been permanently sealed and reinforced.
The vehicle maintains a straightforward and conventional design, featuring a large rear exit hatch and three top hatches for dismounted infantry to engage in combat. Approximately 2,100 units were introduced into service with the West German Army in the early 1970s, but the German variant was not exported to foreign military forces.
As the West German Army phased out older models, the Chilean government opted to purchase 200 Marders, and Greece has previously expressed interest in acquiring 450 retired units. Argentina operates a simplified, locally manufactured version known as the VCTP, with several vehicles based on this design produced by Henschel and assembled by TAMSE.
The Marder 1 was initially succeeded by the Marder 2 project in the 1990s, however, following its cancellation, the Puma was developed as its successor in the 2010s. Currently, the Marder is being phased out in favour of the Puma.
