Status

Development.

Contractor
Krauss·Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co KG.

Rheinmetall DeTec AG.

Rheinmetall Landsysteme Marder 1 infantry

combat vehicle

Development

In J anua ry 1960, contracts far the design and construction of prototypes

of a new full tracked nfantry combat vehicle were awarded to two groups
i

of companies: the Rheinstaht group comprising Rheinstahl-Hanomag,

Ruhrstahl , Witten-Annen and Büro Warnecke and tbe partnership between

H enschel Werke of Kassel and MOWAG of Kreu l ngen ,

z i Switzerland. Marder 1 A3 infantry combat vehicfe (Christopher F Foss) 1162214

There were three vehicles built by H anomag, two by Hensche1 and two by

MOWAG, nown as the

k fi rst series prototypes. piece hatch cover that opens to the right, with a day periscope that can be

Between 1961 and 1963, the second series of prototypes w as built, four by traversed through a fu11 360º.

H anomag, one by Henschel and three by M OWAG. There w as then a pause The engine compartment is to the right of the driver with the MTU MB

in the d evelopment of the vehicle as priority wa s given to the J agdpanzer Ea-500 six-cytinder diesel being coupled to a Renk four-speed HSWL 194

9 0 mm Kanone (w hich entered production at the works of both H anomag planetary gearbox and a stepless hydrostatic steering unit which transmits

and H enschel n 1965)

i a nd the gdpanzer Rakete (which ente red production
Ja power to the tracks via two final drive assemblies mounted at the front of

at the works of both Hanomag and H enschel in 1967 w hen production of the the hull. The radiators are mounted at the rear of the hull, one either side

9 0 mm K anone had been completad). of the ramp, with cooling air being sucked in through grills in the top of the

In 1966, t he military requirements w erefinalised nd in 1967 theconstruction

a hull by an axial cooling fan.

of the third and nal series of prototypes began. There were

fi 10 prototypes The two-man turret, designad by KUKA (which in 2000 became

built, three by H anomag, four by Henschel and three by MOWAG. Rheinmetall Landsysteme), is mounted in the forward part of the roof, with

Following the takeover of Henschel Werke n

i 1964 by the Rheinstahl the commander on the right and the gunner on the left. The commander

G roup, most of the final development work was completed by Rheinstahl. has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the right while the gunner has

The 10 preproduction vehicles were completad in 1967--68 and, in October a similar hatch cover that opens to the rear.

1968, the first vehicles were delivered to the German Army for troop trials, The 20 mm Rheinmetall MK 20 Rh 202 cannon is mounted externally and

which ran from October 1968 to March 1969. In April 1969, companies were has an elevation of +65°, depression of -17° and 360° turret traverse. The

asked to tender for series production of the vehicle, which was officially empty 20 mm cartridge cases are automatically ejected outslde the turret.

named t he Marder 1 in May 1969. In October of that year Rheinstahl (today Boththe commander and gunner have a PERl-211 sightfor use intheground

Rheinmetall Landsysteme) was nominated as prime contractor with MaK of and anti-aircraft role with a magnification of x2 and x6, which can be replaced

Kiel as a subcontractor. by a night periscope. In addition, the commander has eight day periscopes

A total of 2, 136 Marder 1 ICV were built, 976 by the then Atlas M aK at Kiel for all-round observation and the gunner has three day periscopes.

and 1, 160 at Kassel by the then Rheinstahl. Both these companies are now Mounted coaxial, above and to the right of the 20 mm cannon is a

part of the Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH group. 7.62 mm MG3 machine gun and mounted to the left of the 20 mm cannon

The first Marder 1 was handed over on 7 May 1971 and production are six electrically operated 76 mm smoke grenade dischargers.

continued through to 1 975. In the same year, the Euromissile MILAN ATGW The six infantrymen are seated in the troop compartment at the rear

was adaptad to be fired by the commander of the M arder 1 from his open of the hull, three down each side facing outwards. Thelr seating unit was

hatch position. designed by MOWAG and can be adjusted so that four men can sleep. Entry

The chassis of the M arder 1 ICV remained in production at Kassel for the and exit is by a power-operated ramp a t the rear of the hu ll hat opens
t

Euromissile Roland 2 surface-to-air missile system until 1983. downwards. Ali M arder l s have an NBC system.

The Marder 1 series was to have been supplemented by the Marder 2 but The torsion bar suspension each side consists of six dual rubber-tyred road

this was cancelled after a single prototype had been designad and built by w heels with the drive sprocket at the front, the idler at the rear and three

K rauss-Maffei (which in J anua ry 1999 became Krauss-MaffeiWegmann). track-return rollers. The fi rst, second, fifth and sixth road wheel stations have

At present the main emphasis is airhed at providing the vehicle with a hydraulic shock-absorber. The Dlehl tracks have replaceable rubber pads.

additional armour protection, especially against anti-tank mines. The M arder 1 can ford to a depth of 1.5 m without preparation orto 2.5 m

Late in 2002 the German Parliament gave the go ahead far the with the ai d of a kit. An amph i bious ki t was developed far the M arder 1 but

development of a new infantry combat vehicle to replace the Marder 1. This this was not adoptad.

was originally callad the lgel (Hedgehog) but was subsequently renamed

the Puma. Variants

This is being developed by a German industrial consortium called PSM

(Projekt S ystem & Management), which is jointly owned by Krauss-Maffei R 397 ICV

Wegmann and Aheinmetall Landsysteme. The A 397 (previously called the TH 397) is the Marder 1 ICV with the rear

Full details of the Neuer Schutzenpanzer infantry fighting vehicle Puma external 7.62 mm remote-controtled machine gun removed.

are given in a separate entry. This is expected to start replacing the Marder

1 from 2010. Upgraded Marder 1

From 1982 most Marder ls w ere upgraded to one of two new standards,

Description 1 A 1 or A1A, at the rate of about 80 vehicles per month.

The all-welded steel hull of the Marder 1 provides the crew with protection

from small arms fire and shell splinters, with the front of the vehicle giving 1 Al(+)

complete protection from 20 mm armour-piercing discarding sabot (APDS) This is the complete upgrade and 674 vehicles have been brought up to this

projectiles. standard. Main improvements are: better frrepower d u e t o double belt feed

The driver sits at the front of the hull on the left side and has a single­ far the 20 mm can non; improved night capabilities with the installation of a

piece hatch ccver that opens to the right, in front of which are three day PERl-259 (WOEJ night sight with sight head PERl-216 which uses the image

periscopes; the centre one can be replaced by a passive night driving intensification technique, with thermal pointer. The remaining active infra­

device. One of the lnfantrymen slts to the rear of the driver and has a single- red searchlight and sight are retained, there is a holder far the commander's

NBC mask on the upper mounting far the MILAN ATGW, new racks for

water cans inside, stowage far image intensification equipment, flaps for

periscopes, storage for helmets and two 5 m tow ropes. This model weighs

30,000 kg, has a crew of four and carries five instead of six infantrymen.

This upgrade was carried out between 1979 and 1982.

1 Al(-)

In total, 350 vehicles were upgraded to the Al(-) configuration, but un!ik1

the A1(+) standard (see above) they were prepared far, but not fitted with

the thermal pointer. The latter can, however, be transferred from an Al(+

turret that is not operational.

1 Al A

Marder MK 30 AfFV fitted with the fa test generation E4 In total 1, 112 vehicles were modified to the previous standards but no

{Rheinmetall Landsysteme) 0590063 fitted with passive vislon e�ipment. Ali Marder 1 s of the German Arm\