Rolls-Royce and FFG together to repower military vehicles

Rolls-Royce and FFG Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft, with the support of transmission specialist ZF, are jointly developing a concept for the long-term and economical repowering of the Wisent 1 support vehicle and all variants of the Leopard 1 family. The plan is to replace the existing mtu MB838 engine, which is no longer in production, with a more modern mtu 8V199 engine. This project, which both companies presented at the RÜ.NET user forum in Koblenz, offers the opportunity to modernise the vehicles in line with current requirements, while at the same time improving their performance.

Knut Müller, Senior Vice President Global Governmental at Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said: “Our mtu Series 199 engines have been setting standards in terms of performance, reliability and economy for years. The new 800 kW version is the perfect drive solution to ensure that the vehicles in the Leopard 1 family can continue to be operated efficiently in the future. At the same time, we are tapping into a sales market that will support growth in our strategic business segment of public authorities.”

The Leopard 1 main battle tank, which dates back to the 1960s, and special vehicles based on it, such as the BPz2 armoured recovery vehicle, the Biber armoured bridge-laying vehicle, the Dachs armoured engineer vehicle and the Gepard, are still in reliable service with user states in large numbers today. The Wisent 1 support vehicle developed by FFG is the latest Leopard 1 variant to benefit from this upgrade. The German Bundeswehr also still has special variants in service. Replacing the Leopard 1 fleets with more modern vehicles is not financially viable for many armies, which is why there is a need to preserve them for long-term use.

The mtu Series 199 is tried and proven in many military vehicle types and is known from the “Boxer” vehicle family, among others. The use of the 8V199 offers numerous advantages: With an output of 800 kW, the engine is not only 190 kW more powerful than the original engine. It is cheaper, lighter, more economical, has longer service intervals and a longer service life. This saves costs and improves the vehicle’s performance and availability. In addition, there are logistical advantages such as simplified storage of spare parts for armed forces already using Series 199 engines.

FFG will develop and manufacture a power pack based on the mtu 8V199 and is also responsible for the cooling concept and interface adaptations to the overall system. The aim is a plug-and-play solution for all variants. The Flensburg-based company has extensive experience in upgrading Leopard 1 variants. Together with ZF, FFG will also ensure the stability and long-term security of supply of the 4HP250 transmission. To this end, ZF will ensure continuous further development of the 4HP250 and provide technical support for operation with the 8V199 engine.

Jörg Kamper, Managing Director of Flensburger Fahrzeugbau-Gesellschaft, says: “This concept will be an excellent opportunity for many armies to adapt to the changed security situation at a reasonable cost and within a manageable period of time.”