Germany, Netherlands place €1.9 billion order for Caracal airmobile vehicles PHOTO/VIDEO

Germany's largest defence group Rheinmetall signed a contract worth 1.9 billion euros for the supply of Caracal air assault vehicles.

Defence giant Rheinmetall continues to receive large-scale orders to expand Europe's military capabilities in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to Caliber.Az, SavunmaSanayiST.com reported this on its Twitter page.

Rheinmetall’e 1.9 milyar avroluk dev Caracal siparişihttps://t.co/2LK1GN4aA3

— SavunmaSanayiST.com (@SavunmaSanayiST) July 11, 2023

Most recently, the company signed an agreement worth 1.9 billion euros for the supply of 3,058 airborne vehicles to Germany and the Netherlands.

Under the signed contract, the unit price of Caracal cars corresponds to approximately 620,000 euros. In fact, this means an average of 100-200 thousand dollars more than a fully armoured 4x4 armoured personnel carrier.

Düsseldorf-based Rheinmetall said on Monday that the first Caracal test models, which are light enough to be airlifted and use the chassis of a Mercedes-Benz G-Class four-wheel-drive vehicle, are scheduled to be produced in early 2024.

Rheinmetall first introduced the aircraft last year and described it as "a response to future aircraft requirements in Germany and in various armies around the world."

Caracal is characterized by maximum mobility, lightweight design and optional protection elements to counter ballistic and mine threats.

Euro 3 six-cylinder diesel engine with 249 hp. provides a car weighing 4900 kg with a maximum speed of 140 km / h.

The budget for the cars comes from a 100-billion-euro private military fund set up by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz last year, shortly after the Russo-Ukrainian war. Berlin will use a €100 billion fund to renew the German army after decades of pacifist policies and deliberate underfunding of the military due to the country's role in World War II.

Some of Europe's biggest defence contractors, including Rheinmetall, are calling for closer industry and supplier collaboration to better supply Ukraine and avoid production bottlenecks.

General characteristics of the Caracal machine:

• Exclusive collaboration between Rheinmetall, Mercedes-Benz AG and ACS Armored Car Systems GmbH;
• Latest generation military-grade G-class chassis from Mercedes-Benz;
• Lightweight and modular superstructure;
• Transportation of up to two vehicles by heavy transport helicopters SN-47F and SN-53K;
• Airborne as a suspended load;
• Integration of standard infantry and anti-tank weapons;
• Large-scale production since 2023;
• Full lifecycle support for 20 years.