US approves more engines for Israeli Eitan APCs

Eitan APCs with the Nahal Brigade drive along the Gaza-Sinai border near Rafah on 29 May 2024. (Getty Images)

Israel has requested more engines for its Eitan 8×8 armoured vehicles, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 14 April, when it notified Congress that the US Department of State had approved the sale of the additional engines.

It said the original Israeli request for Eitan powerpacks was valued at USD85.5 million, which is below the threshold that triggers a major arms sale notification to Congress. Israel has now increased its request to an estimated USD180 million, which includes related components and services.

The DSCA did not say how many engines have been requested but identified them as the 8V199TE21-D and the prime contractor as Rolls-Royce Solutions America, a subsidiary of MTU. The 8V199TE21 is the eight-cylinder version of MTU's 199 series diesel engine and is used to power several other armoured vehicles, including the Rheinmetall Boxer.

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has already awarded Rolls-Royce Solutions America with contracts worth more than USD80 million to supply powerpacks for Israeli armoured personnel carriers (APCs) since August 2023.

Production of the Eitan started before the DoD awarded the first engine contract, with the Israeli Ministry of Defense (MoD) announcing in June 2022 that the first one had rolled off the production line. The initial batch of vehicles was delivered to the 933rd ‘Nahal' Brigade in May 2023.