ALMOST 60 YEARS after the death of Erwin Rommel, a new German desert fox steps into the military spotlight with the same qualifications: speed, stealth and a real force multiplier.

Enter the Fennek, named after a real species of African desert fox and designed specifically for a reconnaissance role on tomorrow's battlefields. Now, after many pitfalls and many years in development, an order for 612 of these special vehicles has been placed, 410 for the Dutch army and 202 for the German army. This remarkable piece of machinery is manufactured by Kraus-Maffei Wegmann in Germany and SP Aerospace and vehicle systems (part of RDM Technology) in the Netherlands.

Never before has a modern combat vehicle been designed from the ground up as a reconnaissance vehicle. The design takes into account the higher threat levels of the modern battlefield. When design and development was begun in 1994, Dutch army scouts used Land Rovers, not vehicles that offer much protection. These have since been replaced by the YPR765 tracked apc but it is clear to anyone following discussion within the US Army that such heavy, noisy-tracked vehicles are no longer preferred.

Lightly or even unarmoured vehicles (Humvee, Land Rover) also are not up to par for the reconnaissance role. So while the Americans are still discussing which of the two most suits the job, the German and Dutch armies are way ahead. The specifications for the Fennek were clear from the start. The vehicle had to perform reconnaissance, security and liaison tasks. The crew would be autonomous in carrying out its roles with an overkill in communication and observation equipment and vehicle and crew should perform in all weathers and all terrain for five days without resupply. It had to be compact, have good internal volume, a low silhouette and high mobility. The Fennek meets and even exceeds all these specifications.

The final design looks a bit like an armoured racing car, and in effect it is. The six-cylinder, 177Kw engine can push the 11-tonne (maximum combat weight) vehicle to a maximum of 123kph on the road with a range of 1000km. Cross-country conditions give a range of about 460km. The power pack with automatic transmission is mounted in the back and powers the large wheels through angular gearboxes. The H layout of the driveline assures a high ground clearance of 0.4m and a low profile of 1.79m. To guarantee mobility under all circumstances the wheels are fitted with CTIS and run-flat inserts.

Large front windows give the driver more than a 180^o field of view from his central position. The spacious driver's station was designed with comfort and ease of handling in mind. To aid the driver in evasive manoeuvring without guidance from the vehicle commander, a small camera is mounted on the rear of the vehicle with a monitor up front.

Observer and commander are able to operate the full array of observation equipment. All sensors are packed into a small masthead that can be raised 1.5m above the vehicle. From the ground that means just 3.29m, ensuring the vehicle stays hidden. The sensor-suite consists of a thermal imager, CCD day-vision camera and a laser rangefinder. The head can be mounted on a tripod and moved up to 40m from the Fennek.

All equipment is controlled from a single station that hangs from a rail mounted to the roof enabling observer or commander to slide the controls in front of him. Also mounted on the rail will be the battle management system. The Germans have a DIFA system and the Dutch are studying a BMS system. Navigation is via a standard INS/ GPS hybrid unit. The crew can determine location within 10m of a target and with the rangefinder within 50m. The Fennek carries an array of radios mounted in a rack behind the commander, two combat net VHF radios being the norm. The Germans also have mounted an HF radio, a move the Dutch might follow. HF radios allow communication over great distances, and for crews to operate at divisional level far forward of their troops.

The fully armoured vehicle assures good crew survivability. The basic chassis is clad with add-on armour that can withstand 7.62mm AP rounds, and different types of protection material may be used to meet different demands. Large windows give the same protection as armour and the crew compartment is protected against AP mines and NBC threats. A low profile and exterior design provide a low radar cross-section and special exhaust ducting minimises the IR signature.

Self-protection includes a weapon station at the observer's side. Armament ranges from a light machinegun to a 40mm grenade launcher and an electrically controlled gun mount can be operated from within the vehicle. Aiming is through a PERI Z17-derived periscope and night-firing capability is with an uncooled thermal imager.

The Fennek is an ideal vehicle to operate alongside larger-wheeled apcs such as Fuchs, Piranha and Patria, and is why the Dutch army is buying 202 reconnaissance versions and 130 to carry the Israeli-manufactured Gill medium-range anti-tank weapon. Seventy-eight will be general-purpose vehicles such as command vehicles for mortar platoons and transport for engineers' reconnaissance parties. The German army will get 178 reconnaissance versions and 24 engineers' vehicles. There are several competitions for a reconnaissance vehicle in countries like Belgium and Luxembourg that are showing an interest in Desert Fox.

RDM Technology will manufacture the basic hull with SP assembling the automotive parts. KMW will carry out the systems assembly and integration. The last delivery of the current order is in 2008, so the Fennek will be around for a long time to come.