BERLIN, June 18 (Xinhua) -- German defense contractor Rheinmetall has signed a framework contract with the German armed forces (Bundeswehr) for supplying up to 4,000 military trucks, the company announced on Thursday.
The contract, running from 2021 to 2027, has a total volume of up to 2 billion euros (2.24 billion U.S. dollars), according to Rheinmetall.
The first delivery batch of trucks would comprise 540 vehicles worth a total of 348 million euros including VAT, according to Rheinmetall.
Delivery will begin as early as 2021, so that the Bundeswehr would have sufficient vehicles when Germany takes the leadership of NATO's Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) in 2023.
Most of the main components, such as the engines, axles, transmissions and build-ons will be made in Germany while the assembly of the vehicles will take place at the plant in Vienna, according to Rheinmetall. Enditem
