In April 2000, the prototype vehicle finished field trials and in December 2001 a combined order was placed. The Royal Netherlands Army ordered 410 (202 reconnaissance, 130 MRAT (medium range antitank) and 78 general purpose versions) and the German Bundeswehr ordered 222 (178 reconnaissance, 24 combat engineer and 20 joint fire support teams (JFST)). More Fenneks for the German Army will be procured from 2015 on. Germany plans an overall purchase of approximately 300 Fenneks. The first vehicle was delivered to the Netherlands in July 2003[6] and the first to Germany in December of the same year. Deliveries will continue until 2011 (additional orders for the German Army are planned from 2015 on).
The Dutch SP Aerospace company, which produced the Fennek for the Dutch military, was declared bankrupt in August 2004. A new company called Dutch Defence Vehicle Systems (DDVS)[2] was created to continue the production of the vehicles for the Royal Netherlands Army.
Specifications
The Fennek has four wheels with selectable two or four wheel drive. It has a Deutzdiesel engine producing 179 kW, giving it a top speed of 115 km/h (when the speedlimiter is turned off). Tire pressure can be regulated by the driver from inside the vehicle to suit terrain conditions.
The primary mission equipment is an observation package mounted on an extendable mast. Sensors include a thermal imager, daylight camera and a laser rangefinder. Combined with the vehicle's GPS and inertial navigation system the operator can accurately mark targets or points of interest and pass that data to the digital battlefield network. The sensor head of the observation package can also be removed and mounted on a tripod for concealed operation, as can the control unit from the vehicle should the crew want to use the entire system dismounted.[7] Many Fenneks of the German Army are also equipped with Aladin miniature UAVs.
Various weapons can be fitted, such as a 12.7 mm machine gun for the Dutch reconnaissance version, a Rafael Spike anti-tank missile on the Dutch MRAT version or a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher (HK GMG) or Rheinmetall MG3 for the German vehicles. The Royal Netherlands Army also placed an order at the Turkish company ASELSAN for 18 Raytheon Stinger surface-to-air missile launchers to be fitted on the Fennek. The launcher in this case is the Stinger Weapon Platform (SWP), with four Stinger missiles intended for mid-range air defence. The launcher can be controlled from on board the vehicle, or else remotely as part of a distributed air defense system. On the Dutch Fennek the primary weapon is the 12.7 mm machine gun.
The vehicle is protected all-round against 7.62 mm rounds and additional armour can be added if the mission requires. The air conditioning system provides protection against nuclear, biological and chemical warfare and the crew compartment is protected against anti-personnel mines.[8]
Variants
German Army
Variants
LVB (light reconnaissance and exploration, same as the one used by the Netherlands)[9] This variant has a The BAA surveillance module which is installed on a mast raising up to 1.5 m high. The BAA module has a laser range finder, a digital camera and a thermal imager. The mast can also be mounted on a tripod, and operated from a distance (40 m). The LVB is the main variant in service, it entered in service with the A1 standard, and evolved to the A2.
LVB variant in standard "Fennek 1A1" equipped with RCWSKMW 1530
LVB variant in standard "Fennek 1A2" equipped with RCWSFLW 200, ied jamming equipment CG-20, front protection and IR headlights
JFST (Joint Fire Support Team, some with and without IED added protection)[10][11] Sub variants:
TACP (Tactical Air Control Party)[12] Standard "Fennek 1A3"[13] This variant is equipped with advanced communication equipment for air support to ground forces. It also has an information system with special software for requesting fire support. It is equipped with the BAA II surveillance module.
Forward observer[14] Standard "Fennek 1A4"[10] It is equipped with the improved observation and reconnaissance equipment (BAA II), the army command and information system "FüInfoSysH", the artillery command system ADLER III, and extensive radio equipment
Fü-/ErkdFzg Pi (Command and reconnaissance vehicle Pioneer)[10][15]
Pioneer variant in standard "Fennek 1A1" not equipped with BAA module
Pioneer variant in standard "Fennek 1A2" equipped with BAA module, RCWSFLW 200, ied jamming equipment CG-20, front protection and IR headlights
AD (base variant)[9][16] Some are, other aren't equipped with some IED added protection. The sub-variants are:
General Service This variant can receive High Frequency radio equipment as it often transports command personnel.
81 mm Mortar transporter (L16A2 to be replaced with the Hirtenberger M8 mortars) The mortar is transported on the roof, and needs to be assembled to fire.
VCP (Forward Command Post)
MRAT / LRAT (Medium / Long Range Anti-Tank)[9] At the moment, it is a Medium range variant. It carries a tripod for anti-tank missiles. The variant of the missile use is the Spike MR. The Army intends to purchase long range variants of the missile, thus becoming a LRAT.
LVB (light reconnaissance and exploration)[9] This variant has a The BAA surveillance module which is installed on a mast raising up to 1.5 m high. The BAA module has a laser range finder, a digital camera and a thermal imager. The mast can also be mounted on a tripod, and operated from a distance (40 m). The LVB is the main variant in service
JFST (Joint Fire Support Team, some with and without IED added protection)[9][11]
Forward observer[14] It is equipped with the BAA surveillance module.
TACP (Tactical Air Control Party)[12] This variant is equipped with advanced communication equipment for air support to ground forces. It also has an information system with special software for requesting fire support. It is equipped with the BAA surveillance module.
Both Germany and the Netherlands have deployed Fennek reconnaissance vehicles to Afghanistan in support of ISAF.[19] On 3 November 2007, a Dutch Fennek was hit by an improvised explosive device killing one and wounding two other occupants. The vehicle and its crew were taking part in an offensive operation targeting the Taliban in the province of Uruzgan, Afghanistan.[20]
In another incident a German Fennek was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.[21] Its hollow charge jet penetrated the vehicle through the right front wheel rim, passed through the vehicle and blew the left door off the hinge. Thanks to the spall liner the crew sustained only negligible injuries.
^"Großgerät der Bundeswehr". Bundeswehr.de (in German). Berlin: German Armed Forces. 22 October 2015. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
^"Fennek-verkenningsvoertuig". Defensie.nl (in Dutch). Dutch Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
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