HENSOLDT receives KNDS orders for digital armoured vehicle optronics

Image courtesy HENSOLDT 

With a total volume of more than €400 million, the orders for the BOXER RCT 30 wheeled armoured vehicle, known as the Schakal, and the LEOPARD 2 A8 main battle tank are among the most significant for digital vision systems in the land sector. They mark another milestone on the road to software-defined defence.

The focus is on an order to equip the Schakal. The contract has a volume of around €290 million. HENSOLDT will supply a total of 288 complete sets of digital optronics for the vehicle, which is based on the GTK-BOXER platform with the turret system of the PUMA armoured personnel carrier. 

Each set includes the PERI RTWL HD digital commander’s display, the WAO HD digital gunner’s display, the Multifunctional Self-Protection System (MUSS) and the associated monitors for displaying the video streams.

Parallel to the Schakal programme, HENSOLDT was awarded a further contract by KNDS at the end of 2025 to equip the Leopard 2 A8 main battle tank. This includes the delivery of 178 sets consisting of the PERI RTWL HD, the FERO Z18 additional sight for gunner, the Spectus II sensor head, the ATTICA GL thermal imaging device and the rangefinding and firing system EMES OPO. The order is worth more than €110 million. HENSOLDT will thus supply a total of 301 sets of digital sighting systems for the German LEOPARD 2 fleet.

A key feature of both programmes is the consistent switch to digital optronics. The sighting systems used are designed as smart, software-enabled sensors and can be connected to HENSOLDT’s software-defined defence capabilities. To maximise interoperability, supply and availability in the field, the components of the PUMA infantry fighting vehicle and the Schakal are interchangeable.

“The parallel orders for Schakal and LEOPARD 2 A8 show that digital optronics are now a key enabler for software-defined defence. With our cross-platform, software-enabled vision systems, we are laying the foundation for networked, future-proof combat vehicles and sustainably strengthening the operational readiness of modern armed forces,” said Christina Canitz, Head of Optronics Division at HENSOLDT.

The central element of the equipment is the PERI RTWL HD digital commander’s sighting device. The stabilised digital periscope enables precise all-round reconnaissance and target acquisition even while driving and under adverse operating conditions such as dust, fog and darkness. Building on the experience gained from the introduction of digital vision systems for the LEOPARD 2 battle tank, HENSOLDT is consistently transferring these proven capabilities to other platforms. The system is designed to be cross-platform, thereby supporting flexible deployment on different combat vehicles.

The PERI RTWL HD is complemented by the WAO HD digital gunner’s sight, which was developed as the successor to a previously analogue system and is based on the same digital architecture as the PERI. The WAO HD offers high-resolution video output, an extended field of view for optimising combat range and improved stabilisation. Modern digital interfaces enable efficient integration into the respective turret system, while a centralised user interface simplifies maintenance and service. With the WAO HD, HENSOLDT is taking the technological step from analogue to fully digital sighting systems for gunners as well.

The digital vision systems form the basis for advanced functions such as image data fusion, video tracking and networking with command and control systems. They consequently make a significant contribution to the digitalisation of the battlefield in terms of increasing the combat effectiveness and survivability of vehicles and crews and support the transition to software-based, interoperable and networked combat vehicles.

Delivery of the sensor packages will begin in 2027. Prototypes of digital sighting systems for the PUMA turret have already been delivered and series delivery for the Schakal is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2027.