Rheinmetall Electronics has received a €1.04bn ($1.2bn) contract to supply and modernise soldier systems for the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr).
The Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) placed the order as part of a larger project to update military equipment.
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This new contract covers the delivery and modernisation of 237 platoon-level soldier systems called ‘Infantry Soldier of the Future – Enhanced System’ (IdZ-ES).
These systems are set to be delivered between November 2027 and December 2029, Rheinmetall said in a statement on 27 April 2026.
Through this contract, another 8,600 soldiers will receive new equipment. In total, the Bundeswehr will have 353 platoon systems in use, providing over 12,000 individual soldier kits.
Each platoon system supports 35 soldiers and consists of digital equipment, optics, communication devices, protective gear, and other key items.
Rheinmetall, the general contractor, will manage the contract in coordination with more than 30 subcontractors.
The agreement follows approval from the German Bundestag for €1.3bn in funding for the project, with the company expecting additional call-offs under this budget in the future.
Earlier, in February 2025, BAAINBw and Rheinmetall signed a framework contract for more IdZ-ES systems, valued at up to €3.1bn, and running until the end of 2030.
That framework already included orders for upgrades to 68 existing systems and 24 new platoon systems. This makes it the largest soldier-system contract so far for both Rheinmetall and BAAINBw.
Bundeswehr took delivery of the first IdZ-ES system in 2013. Also known as Gladius, the system is designed to help German soldiers operate more effectively and communicate on the battlefield.
The system is equipped with GPS and navigation tools, which give soldiers real-time information about their own positions, friendly forces, and mission updates.
Rheinmetall stated that the modernised design status “eliminates all technically obsolete components” and communication and data exchange with different vehicle platforms.
The revised base hardware connects the soldier system to the ‘Digitisation of Land-based Operations’ (D-LBO) information and communications network via the vehicle platform.
