The German procurement agency BAAINBw and General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS ) announced on Wednesday an agreement for the delivery of 80 highly protected EAGLE 6×6 vehicles for the German Army`s ambulance corps.
First vehicle deliveries will start in 2021 and continue throughout 2024, the release states.
The EAGLE was selected in a competitive tender process under the medium protected ambulance vehicle program (“mittleres geschütztes Ambulanzfahrzeug”), which will close the gap between the user´s light and heavy ambulance vehicle fleet.
The EAGLE 6×6 is the latest and largest member of the proven EAGLE family of vehicles. In its 6×6 configuration, the vehicle provides a more spacious user compartment and more payload. Reduced cost of ownership is achieved through its high degree of commonality with the 4×4 version, its maintenance-friendly design, and proven support solutions. Germany is the 2nd customer for this new EAGLE version after the Swiss Army. “We would like to thank the German Army very much for its confidence in our EAGLE vehicle platform. As a reliable partner to the Bundeswehr, GDELS is fully committed to deliver the vehicles on cost, quality, and schedule,” said Dr. Thomas Kauffmann, GDELS Vice President for International Business & Services.
GDELS will manufacture the EAGLE at its sites in Switzerland and Germany. For the German program, a significant part of the production will be completed in Kaiserslautern and Sembach with the involvement of dozens of German suppliers. “This contract will further strengthen our capabilities as a leading vehicle OEM and will result in a multi-million investment into our German vehicle maintenance hub in Sembach” said Dr. Christian Kauth, Managing Director of GDELS-Deutschland.
The German Army and German Federal Police operate a fleet of close to 700 EAGLE vehicles; the vehicle has proven its superior performance and reliability in various national and international missions.