Military vehicles come in all shapes and sizes. Tanks, armored vehicles,
and even artillery saw new designs and upgrades to be used in battle to turn the tide of war.
Unlike air or sea vessels, land vehicles are an intimate way of fighting,
with some of the most intense battles fought over just a few hundred feet.
And since WWI, Germany has fielded some of the scariest ground vehicles in history.
The famous Panzer tank of WWII brought the allies great fear. It was heavily armored,
featured a massive main cannon, and was notoriously difficult to destroy.
From this point on, tanks and other land vehicles would profoundly affect the German army. Although
it's not the dreaded force it once was, several vehicles in Germany's arsenal are still scary!
10. Leopard 2
During WWII, the Panzer was the feared main battle tank of the Nazi army. That army wishes
they could've had something like the Leopard 2. Currently, the Leopard has a designation of 2A6
and is ready for modern warfare. It's roomy enough for four crew members operating a battery of guns.
The main cannon on the Leopard 2 is a 120mm Rheinmetall L55 Smoothbore gun
with up to 42 rounds capacity. Additionally, two 7.62mm machine guns round out the arms.
The Leopard 2 weighs almost 60 tons and is powered by a 1500 horsepower twin-turbo V12 engine.
With all that mass to move around, the top speed is limited to 43 MPH.
9. Marder IFV
Slightly smaller than the Leopard is the Marder infantry fighting vehicle.
The Marder is heavily armored with welded steel plates capable of withstanding a 25mm shell.
Plus, it can hold up to ten crew members, so if the tank doesn't scare you, the insides should!
This scary vehicle uses an MTU diesel engine with 600 horsepower and a top
speed of 47 MPH. It has a 20mm Rheinmetall MK20 Rh cannon as its primary weapon.
In addition, a 202 automatic cannon, MILAN ATGM launcher, and 7.62mm MG3 machine gun run backup.
8. Puma IFV
Though the Marder is an excellent machine, the German army felt an upgrade was necessary. Meet
the Puma infantry fighting vehicle. Sitting at 31.5 tons, it's slightly heavier than its
predecessor, but the modular AMAP composite armor looks to withstand more significant threats.
The Puma runs on an MTU V10 diesel engine with 1100 horsepower.
Crewed by up to nine, it can reach a top speed of 43 MPH. Plus, the Puma is armed with a 30mm
MK30-2/ABM autocannon stacked with 400 rounds. Joining the cannon is a 5.56HK MG4 machine gun,
Spike LR anti-tank guided missile, and a six-shot 76mm grenade launcher.
7. Panzerhaubitze 2000
Artillery makes a difference on the battlefield. It's been a primary
component of armies for centuries and one of the scariest ground vehicles in the German arsenal.
The modern version is known as the Panzerhaubitze or PHz 2000.
The PHz 2000 is armored with steel plates capable of withstanding 14.5mm projectiles.
The main gun on the PHz 2000 is the 155mm self-propelled howitzer. It has a high rate
of fire, up to 13 rounds per minute, depending on barrel temperature. On the transport side,
the PHz 2000 uses an MTU 881 Ka-500 986 horsepower engine. It's crewed by three
and has a top speed of 41 MPH on pavement or 28 MPH off-road.
6. M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System
The M270 MLRS, also known as MARS in Germany, is an armored rocket launch system. These rockets are
self-propelled and deliver a devastating payload up to 310 miles away. It's crewed by three and
officially ended production in 2003, but the ones in service continue to receive modern upgrades.
The M269 platform that moves the M270 MLRS has a Cummings diesel engine with 500 horsepower.
It can reach 40 MPH on a variety of terrain. The M270 has a fire rate of 12 rockets in less than 40
seconds. Plus, it can fire two missiles in ten seconds and can even launch cluster munitions.
5. ATF Dingo
The ATF Dingo is an armored infantry mobility vehicle. It can house up to eight crew members
within its reinforced V-shaped hull. The armor is thick enough to withstand a wide
variety of small arms fire. The true secret to success, though, is the modular design.
The ATF Dingo uses a Mercedes-Benz diesel engine with 237 horsepower, but the Dingo
2 is slightly more powerful. All said and done, the Dingo can hit 55 MPH and with lethal force.
The ATF Dingo is fitted with a remote-controlled turret to keep passengers protected. The turret
uses either a 7.62mm MG3, a 12.7mm machine gun, or an HK GMG automatic grenade launcher.
4. Flakpanzer Gepard
The Flakpanzer Gepard anti-aircraft vehicle is based on Leopard 1 tank. It is armored with
conventional steel armor, two radar dishes for detection, and one laser range finder.
All the tech installed on the Gepard allows it to detect incoming threats as a last line of defense.
The Flakpanzer Gepard uses a ten-cylinder engine with two mechanical superchargers and runs off
of mixed fuel. The Flakpanzer Gepard makes 819 horsepower, has a crew of three, and hits a top
speed of 40 MPH. Any aircraft coming in will have to contend with the two 35mm auto-cannons with
anti-aircraft rounds, 20 anti-tank rounds, and two quad smoke grenade dischargers.
3. Minenwerfer System Skorpion
Land mines are terrifying. Even worse when they're designed to take out tanks and trucks.
That's exactly what the Minenwerfer System Skorpion is designed to do, set mines. The
Skorpion is an anti-vehicle, smart ground munition designed to be safer than traditional land mines.
Though each mine can be turned on or off remotely, the minimum lethal area is an
astounding 115 feet in diameter. The Minenwerfer System Skorpion can also fire four anti-vehicle
smart munitions into the air that hide guided warheads. The Skorpion has some stinging power!
2. Wiesel AWC
Even the Airforce needs tanks, right? Apparently so,
as the Wiesel 1/2 are light-air transportable mini-tanks, also known as tankettes. These
tanks found a home with airborne troops and provide protection from small arms fire only.
Despite the small stature, the Wisel can still fit up to three crew members.
The Weisel 1 uses a 2.1L five-cylinder inline turbo diesel engine. The Weisel 2 uses a 1.9L
VW engine that makes slightly more than the W1's 86 horsepower and 43 MPH top speed. What makes
the Weisel terrifying is the variety of armaments available, from anti-tank arms to 25mm cannons.
1. TPz Fuchs
The TPz Fuchs is an armored troop transport vehicle. It is heavily armored to the point
of withstanding anti-tank and anti-personal arms. In addition,
it can carry up to six tons of cargo, whether its troops or gear.
The TPz Fuchs is powered by a Mercedes-Benz liquid-cooled V8 engine with 320 horsepower
and a top speed of 65 MPH. It is also heavily armed with up to three Rheinmetall
MG3 machine guns, a MILAN anti-tank guided missile, and smoke grenade launchers.