22/11/2024 | Press release

Rheinmetall supports civil water rescue: Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH (RMMV) is donating a highly mobile HX 6x6 truck to the local group of the German Life Saving Association (DLRG) in Cuxhaven, northern Germany. The official handover of the keys took place on 21 November 2024 at this DLRG site close to the German North Sea coast.

The second-hand HX vehicle was technically overhauled by RMMV to be optimally prepared for the requirements of the DLRG. The vehicle was painted white and was equipped with a tarp frame structure. The latter is optimally suited for the intended use of transporting sandbags and other materials.

Michael Wittlinger, chairman of the board of Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV): “We help those who help us – wholeheartedly. Our vehicles have proved their efficiency in the armed forces when faced with the most difficult of tasks. The DLRG also faces difficult challenges. That's why we are pleased to support the water rescue service with our robust, mobile and fording trucks.”

With a fording depth of 1.5 metres, the truck is ideal for use in difficult terrain or in flooded areas. This included large parts of Lower Saxony during the ‘Christmas floods’ in 2023/2024. A round roof hatch allows the crew an excellent 360-degree view, and provides an additional entry and exit option. The HXs are suitable for a wide range of transport tasks at the DLRG. The donated vehicle will be used by the Cuxhaven local group.

In Germany, various flood disasters have occurred in recent years; this was one of the reasons why Rheinmetall MAN decided to donate the truck. In June 2022, the company donated two HX vehicles for civil defence and disaster protection to the Technical Support Organisation (THW).

The HX family from Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles is one of the most widely used commercial vehicles for military and security agencies. More than 20,000 units are in service worldwide. As a ‘military-off-the-shelf vehicle family’, the trucks are consistently designed for sturdiness, mobility, ergonomics and modularity – a unique selling feature in the industry. Many of these vehicles have proven themselves worldwide in disaster protection and aid operations, including the flood disaster in the Ahr Valley in 2021, bush fires in Australia and the floods in New Zealand.