Fuchs 2 in Algeria

According to Defence-Blog.com, Algeria already has produced 247 Rheinmetall Fuchs 2 armored personnel carriers out of a total 980 to be assembled locally.

Two Fuchs II APCs

As indicated by the photograph, the Algerian Fuchs 2 is fitted with MEXAS or AMAP applique armor, which consists in this case of a layer of ceramic tiles sandwiched between a ballistic foil and a backing. The same armor has been adopted on the German Fuchs 1A7 before participating in KFOR.
The Fuchs 2 in service with the Algerian army is fitted with a remote weapon station (RWS).

The Fuchs 2 is an improved version of the original Fuchs 1 APC, which entered service with the German army in 1979. The Fuchs 2 features a number of improvments including a higher payload, a more powerful engine and improved brakes. 
Armor protection is provided against heavy machine guns (incl. 14.5 mm AP) when fitted with the applique armor, however the heavier armored vehicle might have lost it's amphibious capabilites (at least this was the case with the original Fuchs 2 prototypes, where the heavy armor version lacked the propellers).

While the NBC-Recon version has seen much success, the APC configuration of the Fuchs has not seen much success on the export market, with German companies developing a number of wheeled vehicles (like the Condor, the UR-416 and the TH390) specifically for the export market.


Defence-Blog.com also reports, that a new order (worth 700 million Euro) has been placed for/on the Algerian Fuchs 2 manufacturing plant. The number of new vehicles has not been disclosed.