On February 20, 2025, the European division of General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) of General Dynamics Corporation signed a framework contract with the German Rheinmetall Group as the general contractor for the supply of 256 Piranha V (8x8) wheeled armored vehicles (armored personnel carriers) to the German armed forces in the performance of TaWAN LBO Richtfunkmanagement klein (TLRk) tactical radio relay vehicles. Tactical Wide Area Network (TaWAN) communications. The first firm contract signed at the same time "for a three-figure sum of millions of euros" provides for the supply of the first batch of 58 Piranha V TLRk vehicles to the Bundeswehr starting in 2026.
A prototype of the GDELS-MOWAG Piranha V (8x8) wheeled armored vehicle ordered for the German Army, performed by the TaWAN LBO Richtfunkmanagement klein (TLRk) Tactical Wide Area Network (TaWAN) advanced German radio relay communication system (c) General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS)
Earlier on February 4, 2025, the German Federal Defense procurement agency Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw) awarded Rheinmetall Electronics (a division of the Rheinmetall Group) as the general contractor a ten-year framework contract worth 5.5 billion euros for the supply and deployment of the Tactical Wide Area Network (TaWAN) radio relay communication system, including the first firm contract in the amount of 1.9 billion euros, with deliveries from the end of 2026 to the end of 2029. The allocation of financial resources for this program from the notorious 100 billion special fund for the Bundeswehr was approved by the Budget Committee of the Bundestag of Germany on January 29.
The TaWAN system should include the following elements:
51 sets of "large stations" of TaWAN LBO Richtfunkmanagement Group (TLRg) radio relay communications are carried out on the chassis of two Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) HX 8x8 vehicles, one of which houses a 20-meter lifting radio mast, and the other contains a container with an operator's cabin; the equipment is completely manufactured by Rheinmetall Electronics itself. Optionally, it is possible to purchase 337 more TLRg kits.
256 sets of "light stations" for TaWAN LBO Richtfunkmanagement klein (TLRk) radio relay communications are carried out on the chassis of a Piranha V (8x8) wheeled armored vehicle equipped with a 15-meter lifting radio mast, the main communications equipment is expected to be supplied by the German branch of the Thales group (Thales Deutschland); it is for TLRk sets now and a contract has been signed.
200 sets of portable TaWAN LBO Richtfunkmanagement tragbar (TLRt) radio relay stations - there is no data on the characteristics of the kits and their supplier-contractor, although it is mentioned that the contract for their development and supply was issued back in 2024.
10 TaWAN Fuhrungs Interface Fahrzeug (TFI Fz) control vehicles - presumably to be carried out on the chassis of an ARTEC Boxer (8x8) armored personnel carrier. Optionally, it is possible to purchase 51 more TFI Fz control machines.
The purchase of the Piranha V APC as a platform for TLRk vehicles of the TaWAN system will thus enrich the German army with another type of wheeled armored personnel carrier platform, along with Boxer (8x8) vehicles and Patria 6x6 vehicles approved for purchase (as part of the CAVS program led by the Finnish Patria group, to which Germany has joined). Germany will become the fourth significant customer of the Piranha V after Denmark, Romania and Spain.
The direct production of Piranha V armored vehicles is carried out by the Swiss branch of GDELS, General Dynamics European Land Systems - MOWAG (GDELS-MOWAG). The TLRk vehicles purchased by Germany on the Piranha V chassis will be structurally very close to the similar KOMRAK radio relay communication system vehicles already in use by the Swiss army for a long time, made on the Piranha III (8x8) chassis.
Image of the TaWAN LBO Richtfunkmanagement group (TLRg) "big station" (on the chassis of two Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) HX 8x8) and the TaWAN LBO Richtfunkmanagement klein (TLRk) "light station" (on the chassis of the GDELS-MOWAG Piranha V 8x8 wheeled armored vehicle) of the promising German Tactical Wide radio relay system Area Network (TaWAN) (c) Rheinmetall
