NZDF capability needs matched by vast Rheinmetall product range

Rheinmetall will draw on its significant product portfolio for future growth in New Zealand as the company expands its regional capability to meet the needs of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

The company’s targeted approach to growing its business in New Zealand will stretch across vehicle platforms, electronic solutions and weapons & munitions. Though its brand is relatively low profile in New Zealand compared with other global Defence Primes, Rheinmetall has been an active partner to the New Zealand Defence Force and a member of the nation’s defence industry since 2013.

In line with the establishment of a new regional hub at Rheinmetall’s new $AUD170 million Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in Australia, the company will grow its presence in New Zealand from its offices at Upper Hutt.

This local growth mirrors the global activities of the parent company as an integrated technology group expanding into new regions and markets in the areas of environmentally friendly mobility and threat-appropriate security technology. Rheinmetall Group’s operating activities are split in two corporate sectors - Rheinmetall Defence and Rheinmetall Automotive. Its 23,000-strong staff generate annual sales of more than $NZD8 billion.

Under the leadership of Managing Director Gary Stewart and New Zealand Country Manager Marty Roelofs, Rheinmetall Defence Australia and New Zealand oversees the activities of all company entities and manages operations in Wellington.

“Rheinmetall has successfully built a successful export industry for defence products and services from its German base and we are now working towards the same ambition at our Asia Pacific hub in Australia,” Mr Stewart said.

Rheinmetall’s MILVEHCOE is an 11 hectare precinct for design, manufacture and support of military vehicles, turrets and medium calibre weapons, fire control and electrooptics, simulators, armour systems. It also includes combat vehicle system integration laboratories, a vehicle prototyping workshop, welding and painting facilities, EMC chamber to test up to a main battle tank, medium calibre indoor firing tunnel, and mobility test tracks. “Our focus is on creating sustainable design, development and manufacturing facilities that deliver world leading products and services to the NZDF, as well as partnering with local New Zealand SMEs to ensure their products and services are available globally through our company’s Global Supply Chain,” Mr Stewart said.

The New Zealand Government’s historic capital investment in the NZDF provides the foundation for Rheinmetall’s local focus. The company’s footprint in New Zealand has long been associated with its fleet of high mobility logistics vehicles currently in service with the NZDF. Today, the 130-year-old Dusseldorf-based company is growing its New Zealand footprint by delivering capability where the key requirements are mobility, lethality, reconnaissance, protection and sustainment.

Rheinmetall is creating solution concepts for the networked battlefield of the future. The company’s Electronic Solutions division offers an array of Soldier Systems with key products including Laser Light Modules, Laser range finders for Sniper and Anti material weapons. This delivers capability that meets the increasing digitalisation of the modern battlefield and the challenges it presents armed forces when it comes to the reliable networking of systems and actors at multiple command levels and the impact of information, command, and fire superiority.

Ammunition is core business for Rheinmetall and the company also offers a broad range of infantry ammunition including 40mm ammunition, grenades and pyrotechnical products for a wide variety of missions. The product portfolio includes a full array of 40mm low, medium and high velocity ammunition, accompanied by a wide selection of pyrotechnical devices for signalling and illumination.

Vehicle platforms, too, core business for Rheinmetall’s Vehicle Systems’ high-mobility logistic vehicles, known as the Rheinmetall MAN HX series, are in service in New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and elsewhere.

Drawing on MAN‘s significant expertise in commercial truck development and manufacturing, Rheimetall MAN - a joint venture between Rheinmetall and MAN Trucks - also has the “Trucknology Generation” series of militarised trucks (or ‘TG-Mil’ for short). As a primary choice for logistics in both domestic and low-threat mission environments, and with a true family of vehicles from two to four axles, these vehicles offer scalable degrees of militarisation and are ideal for humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

The impetus to expand the Vehicle Systems business into New Zealand follows the appointment of Gary Stewart in the additional role of Chief Executive Officer, Vehicle Systems Asia Pacific, alongside his current role of Managing Director of Rheinmetall Defence Australia and New Zealand.

“This business unit will improve Rheinmetall’s operational and program performance to ensure delivery of key programs to Australian and New Zealand customers while leveraging the establishment and operations of MILVEHCOE and enable regional growth and exports,” Mr Stewart said.

Rheinmetall MAN trucks have a long history in New Zealand. In March 2013, Rheinmetall MAN was awarded a contract to supply the New Zealand Defence Force with 194 new Logistic trucks as well as 6 training vehicles.

The order encompassed trucks based on HX chassis in three basic sizes: the 6-tonne 4x4, the 9-tonne 6x6 and the 15-tonne 8x8, in ten variants. Some of the trucks were fitted with winches and cranes to allow completely independent operation. They include dump trucks for combat engineers, trucks fitted with specialized pallet and container handling equipment, and tractor/semi-trailer combinations to carry heavy vehicles and equipment.

The contract included vehicles, armour protection kits, weapons mounts, personnel modules and an extensive range of specialised military equipment. It also covers spares, logistic support arrangements, project management and extensive training packages, including six additional vehicles specifically for training purposes. All 200 trucks were successfully delivered between October 2013 and September 2014.

The NZDF deployed a fleet of the trucks to bring much-needed supplies to quake-damaged Kaikoura in the days immediately after the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. A convoy of Rheinmetall MAN trucks ferried 7320 litres of diesel and 1540 litres of petrol to Kaikoura’s petrol stations and emergency services. It also brought 10,000 litres of potable water for distribution and nine Army chefs who were to cater for emergency workers and volunteers as well as about 250 patients at Kaikoura Hospital.