The German armed forces have commissioned Rheinmetall to supply 57 heavy-duty semitrailer tractors with a payload class of 70 tonnes (SaZgM 70t mil). The order value for the 57 vehicles is just over €50 million. Delivery will take place between 2023 and 2024.
The HX81 tractor unit has an eight-cylinder diesel engine with 680 hp. This enables the all-wheel-drive truck to reach a top speed of 89 km/h and overcome gradients of 60 percent. The technically permissible gross train weight is 130 tons. The HX81 tractor unit has the same driver’s cab as the UTF family of vehicles. If required, the cab can be replaced by a protected version. The vehicle equipment also includes a double winch system from Rotzler, each with a tractive force of 20 tons, for pulling heavy combat vehicles onto the all-terrain tractor trailers.
The tractor-trailers are used by the armed forces primarily to transport heavy armored vehicles, for example the Leopard 2 main battle tank or the self-propelled howitzer 2000. The order now placed is the last call-off from a framework agreement concluded in 2018 for the delivery of up to 137 SaZgM 70t mil. From the framework agreement with a term of seven years, 80 tractor units have already been called off and delivered to the Bundeswehr.
Jonas Brandstetter, editorial staff