High Logistical Commonality With LEOPARD 2
Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG) has won a contract for additional WiSENT 2 armoured engineer vehicles (AEV) from the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA).
Signed on 20 September, the contract comes some three years after Norway first ordered the WiSENT 2 armoured recovery vehicle (ARV), which are being delivered on budget and ahead of schedule. Featuring high logistical commonality with the LEOPARD 2A7 main battle tank, the highly digitised WiSENT 2 AEV will be equipped with the Kongsberg Integrated Combat Solution (ICS) system, which has already been fitted to the ARV variant, as well as a powerful excavator and dozer and the FFG Auxiliary Power Booster (ABP) – a brand new lithium battery solution that replaces the traditional diesel Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). For self-defence, all Norwegian WiSENT 2 will be equipped with Kongsberg’s Nordic Phase 1 Remote Weapon Station.
Including this order, more than 40 WiSENT 2 have either been delivered or are under contract with FFG within the last five years, and the WiSENT 2 platform currently represents the top-selling LEOPARD 2-based heavy support vehicle within NATO. Norway, as the second NATO nation fielding the vehicle, has thus indicated very high interest to build up a LEOBEN user group for the WiSENT 2 as soon as possible.
