The German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) has contracted Rheinmetall to deliver 56 additional Elefant 2 heavy-duty transport vehicles, with deliveries planned in 2026 and 2027.
The contract, valued at about €60.5m ($68.78m) gross, represents an extension of an existing seven-year framework agreement between the Bundeswehr and Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV).
The original framework contract, awarded by the Bundeswehr in December 2018, was established for the supply of up to 137 Elefant 2 heavy-duty tractors, with a total maximum value of €122m gross.
The first batch under this agreement consisted of 32 vehicles, ordered for €28.5m, including value added tax.
Initial deliveries were slated to start in 2019, with the remaining 31 units from the original order expected in 2020. The initial framework allowed the Bundeswehr to make further purchases of additional vehicles as requirements developed, leading to the option for up to 105 more transporters within the contract timeframe.
Rheinmetall is due to supply the Bundeswehr with the Elefant 2 vehicles in response to growing demand for solutions able to move heavy combat vehicles.
The latest extension means that a further 56 vehicles will be provided on top of original commitments, with deliveries now extending into 2026 and 2027, beyond the basis of the initial framework schedule, which stipulated delivery by early 2025.
The Elefant 2 is built on the HX81 platform and is categorised as an unarmoured heavy transport vehicle. It is powered by an eight-cylinder diesel engine with an output of 680 horsepower.
This engine allows the vehicle to reach a top speed of 89 kilometres per hour and enables the vehicle to climb gradients of up to 60%. The truck’s technically permissible gross combination weight is 135 tonnes (t).
Equipped with a four-wheel-drive system, the Elefant 2 features a Rotzler twin-winch system, each winch having a pulling force of 20t. The vehicle cabin is shared with the Bundeswehr’s UTF series.
The Elefant 2 is part of Germany’s broader efforts to maintain robust logistics and heavy transport capabilities. This unarmoured vehicle complements the Bundeswehr’s Mammut armoured transporter, which is also sourced from RMMV.
The ability to transport heavy combat vehicles is described as a crucial capability, especially in the context of Germany’s role as a logistical centre within Nato collective defence efforts.
In a separate development, the Bundeswehr commissioned Rheinmetall in May 2026 for the supply of more than 2,000 additional military logistics vehicles. These include unprotected models in 4×4 (3.5 tonne), 6×6 (5 tonne), and 8×8 (15 tonne) configurations.
This order is valued at €1.015bn gross and forms part of a broader framework contract, set in 2024, for up to 6,500 vehicles. Most deliveries from this contract are due before the end of 2026, starting in the first half of that year.
