KNDS has awarded Hensoldt contracts worth approximately €400 million ($472 million) to supply advanced digital optronic systems for German armored personnel carriers and main battle tanks.
Under the first agreement, valued at around €290 million ($342 million), Hensoldt will deliver 288 complete digital optronic suites for Boxer RCT 30 wheeled armored vehicles.
Each suite will include the PERI RTWL HD digital commander’s sight, WAO HD digital gunner’s sight, the Multifunctional Self-Protection System, and associated display monitors for video and sensor feeds.
Germany recently placed an order with a Rheinmetall–KNDS Deutschland joint venture for the procurement of 150 Boxer infantry fighting vehicles, designated Schakal.
The Schakal variant is based on the GTK-Boxer platform and incorporates the turret system of the Puma armored personnel carrier.
Under a second contract exceeding €110 million ($130 million), Hensoldt will supply 178 digital optronic systems for integration on Leopard 2 A8 main battle tanks.
These packages include the PERI RTWL HD commander’s sight, FERO Z18 auxiliary gunner’s sight, Spectus II sensor head, ATTICA GL thermal imager, and the EMES OPO rangefinding and fire-control system.
In total, Hensoldt will provide 301 digital sighting systems for the Leopard 2 fleet.
Deliveries of the sensor systems are scheduled to begin in 2027. Prototypes of the digital sighting suites for the Puma turret have already been delivered, with series production for the Schakal starting in Q4 2027.
At the core of the system is the PERI RTWL digital commander’s sight, which enables precise all-round surveillance and target acquisition while moving, even under adverse conditions such as dust, fog, and darkness.
Designed for cross-platform integration, the system allows flexible deployment across multiple combat vehicle types.
The PERI RTWL HD is paired with the WAO HD digital gunner’s sight, developed as a next-generation replacement for legacy analog systems and built on a unified digital architecture.
The WAO HD provides high-resolution imagery, an expanded field of view for extended engagement ranges, and enhanced stabilization for improved firing accuracy.
