Berlin is planning to supply upgraded 4×4 vehicles, armored trucks, tactical buses, and nearly 100 HX81 heavy tractor-trailer systems to Ukraine as the Russian offensive in the eastern Donbas region escalates.
Citing a report from Bild, Militarnyi reported that Germany agreed to ramp up the supply of weapons and military vehicles to Kyiv, including HX 81 tractors.
The vehicle is based on an 8×8 MAN HX-series chassis. Germany’s new tractor-trailer systems will be used for transporting tracked and wheeled vehicles, containers and heavy equipment.
Two cable winches with a pulling force up to 20 tonnes each enable loading and unloading of defective equipment. A self-recovery winch with a traction force of eight tonnes is mounted to the front of the vehicle. Designed for maximum mobility, the tractor-trailer system will also be able to operate for long distances in areas with poor infrastructure.
The HX81 heavy tank transporter vehicle was jointly developed by MAN and Rheinmetall.
Although Germany is the world’s fifth-largest exporter of arms, it has long avoided sending weapons directly to conflict zones. Since Russia’s invasion began in February, the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz has sent light equipment, ammunition, and given additional funding to German arms manufacturers sending supplies to Ukraine.