Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) handed over the first series-production vehicle of the Joint Fire Support Team (JFST) FENNEK to the German Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement (BWB) and the Armed Forces at the artillery school in Idar-Oberstein on Thursday, March 11, 2010.

The new vehicle is based on the FENNEK all-terrain vehicle. The JFST coordinates command and control with indirect fire of land, airborne and shipboard assets, increasing their effectiveness. Two vehicle configurations will be fielded, ground-ground, which will coordinate artillery assets as a forward observer and air – ground, which will function as a forward air controller. Speaking on behalf of KMW, Jürgen Weber said “This highly sophisticated system provides the Bundeswehr with a new, urgently required capability. Opponents can be reconnoitered, identified and geographically positioned up to a range of several kilometers during day and night time. The information gathered by the JFST is vital to the forces of the Army, Air Force and Navy.”
The Bundeswehr has identified a requirement for 40 vehicles and has an order in place for 20. The vehicles, with a laser pointer and illuminator, integrated onto the system, will improve the capability to use laser-guided munitions with a future extended function. Acquisition of these advanced vehicles elevates the Bundeswehr’s net centric capabilities.

Copyright 2010 Sal Palma

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