The German Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung (Federal Agency for Defense Technology and Procurement) in Koblenz, awarded Rheinmetall Defence a contract for pre-production examples of the IdZ-ES (Infanterist der Zukunft – Erweitertes System or Future Soldier – Expanded System) last Thursday, 17 December.
The program began in 2004 but in 2006 Rheinmetall Defence assumed lead for development of the system after an EADS led “Projekthaus System Soldat†version proved to have deficiencies. Rheinmetall claims this is an entirely new system. Full-scale procurement is to begin in 2012. Ultimately, they plan to purchase 1000 kits for all three armed services with each kit equipping 10 men.