German sensor house HENSOLDT has been awarded contracts worth more than €400 million to equip hundreds of German armored vehicles with fully digital vision systems. The orders, placed by defense contractor KNDS, cover optronics for both the BOXER RCT30 “Schakal” wheeled vehicle and the LEOPARD 2 A8 main battle tank, marking a significant industrial shift toward software-defined defense architectures.
The larger of the two contracts, valued at approximately €290 million, focuses on the Schakal program. HENSOLDT will deliver 288 complete optronics suites for the vehicle, which combines the GTK BOXER chassis with the turret system of the PUMA infantry fighting vehicle. Each suite integrates the PERI RTWL HD—a stabilized digital periscope for commanders—alongside the WAO HD digital gunner’s sight. These are supplemented by the Multifunctional Self-Protection System (MUSS) and advanced monitors for video stream visualization. The WAO HD represents a critical technological leap, replacing legacy analog systems with a fully digital architecture that offers high-resolution video, enhanced stabilization, and a broader field of view to maximize combat range.
Concurrently, HENSOLDT received a separate order at the end of 2025 to equip the LEOPARD 2 A8 main battle tank. This €110 million contract involves supplying 178 sets of sighting systems. These packages include the PERI RTWL HD for commanders, the FERO Z18 auxiliary sight for gunners, the Spectus II sensor head, the ATTICA-GL thermal imager, and the EMES OPO rangefinding system. In total, HENSOLDT will provide 301 digital sight sets for the German LEOPARD 2 fleet.
A cornerstone of both programs is the migration to “smart” sensors that function as software-enabled devices. The PERI RTWL HD, for instance, allows for precise all-round observation and target engagement while the vehicle is in motion, regardless of challenging conditions like dust or darkness. Furthermore, to ensure battlefield interoperability and simplify logistics, the optronic components are designed to be interchangeable between the PUMA and the Schakal.
According to Christina Canitz, Head of the Optronics Division at HENSOLDT, these digital systems are foundational to future warfare. They enable advanced capabilities such as image data fusion, automated video tracking, and seamless integration with higher-level command and control networks. By transitioning to a cross-platform digital backbone, these vision systems significantly enhance vehicle survivability and combat effectiveness.
Deliveries of prototype sensor packages for the PUMA turret are already underway, with series production for the Schakal scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2027.
