The German tank brigade stationed in Lithuania will receive 65 new armored vehicles

The newly formed German 45th tank brigade, which will be permanently stationed in Lithuania, will receive 65 new Dingo 2 A4.1 armored vehicles.

This is reported by the German publication Hartpunkt.

According to the publication, the supply contract between the Bundeswehr procurement office BAAINBw and the manufacturer KNDS was signed on December 19, 2024.

The first vehicles are due to arrive in troops in early 2027, simultaneously with the planned acquisition of full operational capability by the newly formed brigade.

65 Dingo 2 A4.1 will be transferred under the framework agreement concluded in November 2023, which provides for the possibility of purchasing a total of 233 Dingo 2 A4.1 vehicles.

This contract for 65 armored vehicles became the second firm contract under this framework agreement. Before this, 50 vehicles had already been ordered to replace the 50 Dingos transferred to Ukraine. These vehicles are due to enter the troops in 2026.

Unlike previous versions, the Dingo 2 A4.1 is based on a more modern Unimog chassis, which provides it with a greater carrying capacity compared to the Dingo 2 modifications currently in service with the German army. The permissible gross vehicle weight will be increased from 13.2 tons to 14.5 tons.

The vehicle will also receive a new 6-cylinder turbodiesel engine with a capacity of 240 kW (326 horsepower), while previous versions are equipped with an engine with a capacity of only 163 kW (221 horsepower).

German brigade in Lithuania

On December 19, 2023, Germany and Lithuania signed an official agreement on the deployment of a German brigade in Lithuania. brigade.

According to the plan, the 45th tank brigade of the German Land Forces will be created for deployment in Lithuania, numbering 4,800 military personnel and 200 civilian employees.

The first group of German military personnel arrived in Lithuania in April 2024. They are to ensure the planning of the redeployment of the rest of the brigade to Lithuania and will coordinate the requirements for military infrastructure.

The main redeployment of units is to take place in 2025-2026. In 2027, the German brigade should reach full combat capability.

The core of the brigade should be the 203rd Tank Battalion and the 122nd Mechanized Battalion, which are armed with Leopard 2A6 tanks and Puma infantry fighting vehicles. The brigade will also include a multinational NATO battle group in Lithuania, numbering about 1,000 servicemen from the armies of other NATO countries.