French and German vehicle manufacturers ARQUUS and Daimler Truck have announced a partnership to jointly develop new military products. The collaboration aims to simplify logistics and bring Europe a step closer to unifying its military vehicle fleet.
According to official statements from both companies, the partnership will initially focus on modernizing logistics trucks for the French armed forces. In other words, the combined expertise and capabilities will be projected towards a specific customer, which highlights the seriousness and feasibility of success in their intentions.
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Arquus, formerly Renault Trucks Defense, is a prominent French defense contractor responsible for up to 90% of the French Army’s wheeled fleet. For example, the company has contributed to developing the AMX-10RC and VAB armored personnel carriers in collaboration with Nexter (now KNDS France).
In addition, Arquus develops its own line of MRAP trucks, the futuristic Scarabee armored vehicle, and various military LUVs. Notably, it is one of three French firms preparing to establish production in Ukraine.
Daimler Truck, meanwhile, is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of commercial vehicles and was, until early 2024, a co-owner of russia’s KamAZ. The company’s extensive industrial base includes facilities near the French border, making integration with ARQUUS both feasible and efficient.
While no specific product of this cooperation has been unveiled yet, military trucks in general remain a cornerstone of logistics and can serve as platforms for a wide array of specialized systems, facilitation unification across Europe.
"What goes well together grows together here: our companies have been producing in France and Germany for a long time, our products are highly compatible, our approaches, ideas and goals in the defence sector overlap," said Daniel Zittel, Head of Defense Sales at Daimler Truck.
For Ukraine, this partnership may hold particular relevance. The country has struggled to update its military vehicle fleet: economic situation limited the possibilities of purchasing foreign vehicles, while domestic producer AvtoKrAZ had consistent problems with quality and deadlines. Franco-German cooperation in this field could eventually help fill that gap by delivering additional trucks to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
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