Rheinmetall and Indra sign MOU on armoured vehicle projects

A Leopard 2E battle tank exhibited at the Bruch Barracks in Barcelona, Spain, on 2 June 2024. (NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Rheinmetall and Indra have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for strategic co-operation in armoured vehicle projects of the Spanish Armed Forces, according to a 13 May press release from Indra.

Indra's press release did not specify the armoured vehicle models the MOU may see work on. However, the release mentions Rheinmetall's Keiler Next Generation (NG) armoured breaching vehicle. The platform was unveiled in June 2024 and is equipped with a mine plough, rocket-assisted mine-clearing line charge (MICLIC), and magnetic signature duplicator designed to breach deep obstacles in all terrain.

The over 4 m-wide Pearson mine plough has a minesweeping speed of up to 250 m/min in rough terrain. It is designed to open 160 m-long and 9 m-wide breaches through minefields and obstacles within minutes.

The press release also mentions the Leopard 2A4 tank in which “Rheinmetall has significant technological shares”.

The deal follows Indra's announcement on 13 March of a deal with Rheinmetall Electronics to upgrade the fire-control system and command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) system for all of Spain's Leopard 2E main battle tanks (MBTs).

Indra designed the thermal cameras and the combat system of Spain's Leopard 2E MBTs and supplied the Leopard Information and Control Equipment (Lince) battle management system (BMS) currently in service in Leopard 2. Indra is the designer of the Maestre mission system currently used in the Spanish Army's VCR 8×8 wheeled armoured vehicle and is the main design authority for the Spanish BMS.

The Leopard 2E is the Spanish version of the Leopard 2A6. According to Janes Land Warfare Platforms: Armoured Fighting Vehicles