Marder IFVs, demining tanks, drone detectors: Germany’s new military aid package for Ukraine
A Marder infantry fighting vehicle. Photo: EPA

Germany has handed over additional military assistance to Ukraine over the past week, including Wisent 1 armoured demining vehicles and a new batch of Marder infantry fighting vehicles.

The German military aid delivered to Ukraine in the week until 13 September includes:

  • 20 Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles with ammunition (in addition to 40)
  • two Wisent 1 mine clearing tanks (six were delivered before)
The Wisent 1 is an armoured demining vehicle based on a modified hull of the Leopard 1 main battle tank with the turret removed. Its main task is to make passages in a minefield. It automatically marks out the mined area so that infantrymen can pass through it. Typically, these vehicles have a clearance width of 2.5 to 2.6 metres.
  • one truck tractor train 8x8 HX81 (before: 50) and four semi-trailers (before: 41)
  • five load-handling trucks 8x8 (before: 35)
  • nine vehicles (trucks, minibuses, all-terrain vehicles) (before: 288)
  • three Mercedes-Benz Unimog ambulances (before: 44)
  • 3,000 18,510 rounds of 155-mm ammunition (before: 15,510)
  • material for explosive ordnance disposal (from Bundeswehr and  industry stocks);
  • 1 Satcom surveillance system
  • 20 reconnaissance drones RQ-35 HEIDRUN (before: 60)
  • 2 mobile antenna mast systems (before: 47)
  • 10 drone detection systems (before: 103)
  • 1.5 million rounds of ammunition for firearms (before: 44.2 million)

In addition, the German government instructed Rheinmetall, a major arms manufacturer, to supply Ukraine with another 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles.

Germanywar in Ukrainemilitary aidMarderWisent 1