High off-road mobility and heavy-duty recovery capabilities
In operations both at home and abroad, modern armed forces depend on assured, round-the-clock mobility and reliable logistics. Robustness, versatility and functionality are the most important performance criteria – no matter how bad the roads or how difficult the terrain. Increasingly important, too, are flexible protection solutions, crucial for keeping crews safe during deployed operations.
The latest generation of HX vehicles from Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) meets all of these criteria. It is the outcome of decades of experience in developing, building and – by no means least – servicing military vehicles.
At CANSEC 2019, Rheinmetall is presenting its HX 10×10 Heavy Recovery Vehicle, or HRV.
This vehicle combines high off-road mobility with a heavy-duty recovery capability. It is able to recover vehicles in suspended as well as supported (underlift) tow mode. Highly mobile, the 10×10 vehicle features an underlift with a capacity of up to 15 tons as well as a recovery boom. The recovery boom is a very versatile recovery system. It includes a crane with a lifting capability of up to 23 tons (at 60 degrees elevation fully extended), two independent winches (Rotzler HZ090) for righting vehicles, and a constant pull (capstan) main winch (Rotzler TR200). The recovery boom enables 360° operations around the recovery vehicle. The HX 10 x 10 HRV can tow a hook load of up to 15 tons. The gross train weight is 75 tons.
The HX 10×10 HRV offers a high degree of protection against ballistic, mine and IED threats when utilized with an integrated armoured cabin. Vehicles can be “fitted for but not with”. This means that they can be fitted with an integrated armoured cabin level.
The HX family – a match for modern mission scenarios
With some 10,000 vehicles now in service around the globe, the HX numbers among the world’s most widely used military trucks, with abundant operational experience. The HX family comes in variants ranging from 4×4 to 10×10, configured for a multitude of different missions: cargo trucks and heavy-duty recovery vehicles, tankers, firing units and system platforms as well as folding-road and bridge-laying systems. The engines that power these trucks are designed for outputs of up to 680 HP.
The vehicle family concept results in largely identical modes of operation, maintenance and repair as well as spare parts, leading in turn to lower lifecycle costs. Moreover, RMMV also offers full service support, all from a single source.
Adhering to a strict military-off-the-shelf (MOTS) approach, RMMV uses proven, reliably modified mass production components in the HX family, specially designed to meet military requirements. This results in made-to-measure military vehicles that deliver maximum cost-effectiveness.
A crucial characteristic of these vehicles is the robust chassis design, enabling inclusion of protected cabins. Featuring the heaviest front axle load in its class, the vehicle can handle a heavily protected driver’s cab large enough for three people. Furthermore, the cabs can also be equipped with an optional NBC ventilation system (limited to protected cabs), integrated command and control systems, connections to soldier systems, remotely controlled weapon stations, jammers, active defence systems (ADS) and fast-acting smoke/obscurant dispensers.
From the outset, these trucks are designed not just for maximum robustness, payload capacity, mobility and an all-terrain capability, but also to operate at temperatures ranging from -32°C to +49°C. They can also be adapted to operate in all other climates: an arctic kit is available for several vehicles that enables them to operate at temperatures as low as -46°C. It is also possible to fit them with C4I systems without major conversion work, while their electromagnetic compatibility exceeds that of all other trucks on the market.
Other special capabilities include a standard fording depth of 1.5 metres without prior preparation. Moreover, the state-of-the-art engines that power these trucks feature full F34 compatibility in accordance with the NATO single fuel concept.
Particularly in multinational operations, the worldwide presence of RMMV vehicles offers major advantages in terms of interoperability and logistics. Among others, the current list of user nations includes the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Denmark. Norway and Sweden have both placed substantial orders with RMMV as well.