KNDS has awarded Hensoldt contracts totaling nearly €400 million ($472 million) to supply next-generation digital optronic and sensor systems for German armored combat vehicles. The agreements cover both the Boxer RCT 30 infantry fighting vehicle and the Leopard 2 A8 main battle tank, supporting Germany’s ongoing armored fleet modernization and digitization efforts.
Under the first contract, valued at approximately €290 million ($342 million), Hensoldt will deliver 288 integrated digital optronic packages for Boxer vehicles equipped with the RCT 30 remote-controlled turret. Each package comprises the PERI RTWL HD digital commander’s sight, the WAO HD digital gunner’s sight, a multifunctional self-protection system, and dedicated display monitors. These systems will be installed on the Boxer “Schakal” variant, which combines the GTK-Boxer platform with the Puma infantry fighting vehicle’s turret system.
A second contract exceeding €110 million ($130 million) covers the supply of 178 digital sighting suites for Leopard 2 A8 main battle tanks. The configuration includes the PERI RTWL HD commander’s sight, FERO Z18 auxiliary gunner’s sight, Spectus II sensor head, ATTICA GL thermal imaging system, and the EMES OPO fire-control and laser rangefinding solution. In total, Hensoldt will deliver 301 digital optronic systems to enhance situational awareness and targeting accuracy across the Leopard 2 fleet.
System deliveries are planned to begin in 2027, with prototypes for the Puma turret already completed. Series production for the Boxer Schakal is scheduled to start in late 2027. Central to the capability is the PERI RTWL HD, which enables precise all-round surveillance and target engagement while on the move and in adverse environmental conditions. Paired with the WAO HD gunner’s sight, the fully digital architecture delivers higher-resolution imagery, a wider field of view, improved stabilization, and extended engagement ranges, ensuring interoperability across multiple armored vehicle platforms.
