Editorials

Development and characteristics of the Dutch-German Fennek

Written by Jeff
6 minutes

The Fennek, unlike many other vehicles, found its origin in the private sector. The Dutch DAF Special Products Aerospace & Vehicle Systems (referred to as DAF going forward) developed the vehicle on their own initiative and resources.

This came about as market analysis showed that there was a gap in between the light jeeps and armoured personnel carriers on the open market. Therefore, development started on what would become the Fennek.

The first production prototype was available for company testing by the end of 1992. The vehicle had space for 3 soldiers (5 if you try hard enough) and was intended for reconnaissance, anti-armour, engineering, and command & control roles.

As early as the 1st of August 1985 Major General Grillmeier submitted an initial request for a new reconnaissance vehicle to replace the Spähpanzer Luchs, which had been obsolete since its adoption in 1975. This new light Spähwagen was to be quiet, have a low silhouette, be able to fulfil a large number of tasks, have a 3-man crew, protection from small arms fire, off-road capability, and have a command & control system.

For self-defence, the ability to engage unarmoured targets was deemed sufficient. On the 10th of October 1988, a finalised set of requirements was sent to the Ministry of Defence. Evaluation trials were held between the French Panhard VBL and the German Zobel developed by Gesellschaft für Systemtechnik. A program for the adoption of such a vehicle would start in 1992.

The Netherlands joined this programme in 1993 as it was looking to procure a similar vehicle for its own armed forces. The two consolidated their requirements, which did see some features like swimming and a rear-facing driver position dropped.

This vehicle did still require a 3-man crew and needed to provide enough cargo space for that crew to be able to take enough supplies along for a 5-day mission behind enemy lines. Air transportability via C-160 and C-130 was also required.

In the end, a joint venture between the Dutch DAF and German Wegman would come out as the winners of the programme. DAF was responsible for the vehicle’s chassis, while all other components would come from Wegman.

Because the Netherlands was planning to adopt the largest number of these vehicles, a Memorandum of Understanding would be signed in 1994 that stated that they would lead the programme. Later in December of 1994, the Directie Materieel (Dutch procurement agency) signed a contract with the DAF/Wegman joint venture for the production of 4 prototypes, 2 built by DAF and 2 built by Wegman.

The first prototype, called TVM 1, was delivered on December 18, 1996, with the remaining 3 being delivered between 1997 and 1998 and would be named TVM 2 through 4. These four underwent trials with both the Dutch and German procurement agencies between September 1997 and August 1998. These trials were led by the German armour school in Munster and Dutch OTCMAN in Amersfoort.

The trails would consist of 6 five-day-long simulated reconnaissance missions for each pair or prototype. Additionally, they each performed 35 separate day/night reconnaissance courses that could see the vehicle travel 120 km.

These separate reconnaissance courses mainly served to gauge the vehicles fuel consumption as well as their cross-country mobility. These trails would show that a number of the vehicle requirements either were not necessary or needed to be modified.

The DAF/Wegmann joint venture was asked to further refine the vehicle concept based on these new requirements and would present their updated proposal in June of 1997. This led to the production of a fifth prototype based on TVM 2, called TVM Mod.

This prototype was delivered on the 2nd of July 1999. All further trials would be conducted on TVM 2 mod. A production contract was awarded in 2001 for 612 vehicles, 410 for the Netherlands and 202 for Germany. However, in 2004, DAF Special Products Aerospace & Vehicle Systems went out of business, leading to the German KMW along with their Dutch subsidiary, Dutch Defence Vehicle Systems, taking over production.

Germany later ordered an additional 24 units split between the emergency procured 4 artillery observer vehicles and later 20 of the purpose-built joint fire support team variant for a total of 226 units.

German Variants

  • LVB Fennek 1A1: Base reconnaissance variant equipped with the KMW 1530 RWS and BAA surveillance module.
  • LVB Fennek 1A2: Base reconnaissance variant equipped with the FLW 200 RWS, CG-20 IED jamming equipment, increased frontal protection, BAA surveillance module, and IR headlights.
  • JFST TACP Fennek 1A3: A variant of the Fennek equipped with advanced communications equipment for calling in close air support. These were also equipped with the BAA II surveillance module.
  • Forward observer Fennek 1A4: A variant of the Fennek for calling in artillery fire. This model is equipped with the FüInfoSysH command and information system, the ADLER 3 artillery command system, and the BAA II surveillance module.
  • Fü-/ErkdFzg Pi Fennek 1A1: Command and pioneer variant of the Fennek, which lacks the BAA surveillance module.
  • Fü-/ErkdFzg Pi Fennek 1A2: Command and pioneer variant of the Fennek that kept the BAA surveillance module, FLW 200 RWS, CG-20 IED jamming equipment, increased frontal protection, and IR headlights from the LVB Fennek 1A2.

Dutch variants

  • AD General Service (Algemene Dienst); base model of the vehicle equipped with a high-frequency radio set and KMW 1530 RWS (equipped with an M2HB) often used to transport command personnel.
  • AD 81 mm mortar transporter; base model of the vehicle used to transport an 81 mm mortar and ammunition for it.
  • AD VCP; Mobile command post variant build on the base model vehicle.
  • MRAT/LRAT: Base model of the Fennek used to transport an Spike MR/LR ATGM team.
  • LVB: Base reconnaissance variant equipped with the KMW 1530 RWS with an M2HB and BAA surveillance module.
  • SWP: A Fennek equipped with a Stinger Weapons Platform holding 4 Stinger MANPAD missiles on a remote-controlled turret.

The Netherlands is undertaking an MLU programme for their fleet of Fennek that would see them fitted with a C-4I system as well as other updates. 322 of the Dutch Fenneks will be updated between 2022 and 2027 by KMW.

Capabilities of the German Fennek 1A1 and 1A2.

  • The vehicle is powered by a 177kW Deutz BF 6M2013C 6-cylinder engine and Renk 606 transmission capable of bringing the vehicle to a 115kph top speed. However, in German service, they are limited to 90 kph.
  • The 230-litre fuel tank gives it a 1.000 km road range or 450 km cross-country range.
  • The German recon variant would feature STANAG-4569 Level 3 protection (7,62x54R AP).
  • All have integrated mine protection capable of withstanding blasts from 5 kg of TNT.
  • Overpressure-based NBC system, air conditioning system, and automated fire-extinguishing system.
  • The BAA surveillance module is equipped with a thermal camera feeding into a black and white display as well as a day sight camera and laser range finder. This module can also be installed on a tripod up to 37 m away from the vehicle. The Zies thermal camera has a detection range of 7.000m, a classification range of 5.000m, and an identification range of 2.500m. The laser range finder can meanwhile store the range results for the last 50 lased targets.
  • An advanced C3 system running FüInfoSysH can seamlessly transmit the vehicle’s location and target data to connected units.
  • 2 SEM 80/90 and 1 RHM 7400 HF radio are installed in the vehicle an additional portable SEM 52 SL is also carried onboard.
  • Armament consists of either a KMW 1530 RWS on the 1A1 or FLW 200 RWS on the 1A2 with either an MG3AIT, H&K GMG, or M2HB (only on FLW 200).
  • An impulse-controlled smoke system is also installed in the rear of the vehicle, with 6 launchers capable of deploying a smoke screen up to 50 m in front of the vehicle.
  • Additionally, an CG-20 IED jammer, additional frontal protection, and IR headlights would be installed on the Fennek 1A2.

Export

  • Qatar; there would only end up being one export customer for the Fennek. Qatar would buy 32 units split between JSFT and FAO variants. These would be delivered between 2017 and 2020.
  • Ukraine: As part of their military aid to Ukraine, the Netherlands has donated at least 9 Fennek to Ukraine. The exact variant donated is currently unknown, nor am I aware of any footage or photo’s of the vehicles in Ukrainian service.

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