📜 History of the SpPz-23 "Wisent" (1977–)

🔧 Development Context (Early 1970s)

By the late 1960s, the Bundeswehr identified an urgent need for a versatile wheeled armored vehicle, capable of:

Transporting infantry over long distances,

Participating in armed reconnaissance missions,

And providing mobile fire support, all while remaining significantly cheaper than a main battle tank.

Recent conflicts (like Vietnam or the Six-Day War) demonstrated the effectiveness of light, fast combat vehicles, especially against irregular forces or in urban terrain.

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🏗️ Technical Base: A Pre-Existing Chassis

In 1972, the West German Ministry of Defense selected an existing 8x8 wheeled chassis, originally designed for heavy logistical support by Wegmann Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH (fictional company).

This chassis, while reliable, needed deep modifications:

A reinforced transmission system to handle a 30-ton combat weight,

Hydropneumatic suspension optimized for off-road mobility,

Rear hull redesign to accommodate 8 fully equipped soldiers or 3 wounded troops on stretchers + 1 medic.

This modified platform became the Wegmann F8A3-M, the base for the future SpPz-23.

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🔩 The Turret: A Separate Project

Meanwhile, a competing company, Krauss-Maffei Panzerbau AG, developed a compact, modern turret featuring:

A stabilized 105 mm gun (Rh-105 L/51 provided by Rheinmetall),

A first-generation night/day sight system and basic laser rangefinder,

An internal ammo rack for 42 rounds (APFSDS, HEAT, HE).

The turret was designated KM-T105, and its integration on a wheeled 8x8 chassis was a first in German vehicle design.

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🛠️ Integration by a Third Party

A third company, Thüringer Fahrzeugsysteme GmbH (TFG), was contracted to act as the system integrator, assembling the final vehicle:

Installing the modified Wegmann chassis,

Fitting the Krauss-Maffei turret,

Coordinating with Rheinmetall for armament integration,

Finalizing internal layout, NBC protection, radios, and crew ergonomics.

The resulting vehicle was officially named:

Spähpanzer-23 "Wisent" (SpPz-23)
A tribute to the European bison, symbolizing strength, resilience, and endurance.

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🪖 Service Entry (1977)

After successful field trials in 1976 at Meppen proving grounds, the SpPz-23 entered service with Bundeswehr reconnaissance units in 1977.

Assigned Roles:

Heavy armored reconnaissance

Direct fire support for Panzergrenadiers

Light tank destroyer (effective against T-55s and T-62s)

High-speed infantry transport

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⚔️ Deployment & Evaluation

Although it never saw full-scale war, the Wisent was:

Deployed in peacekeeping missions during the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s,

Used in joint NATO exercises with US and French forces,

Upgraded over the years with thermal optics, additional armor kits, and remote-controlled weapon stations.

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📉 Gradual Replacement

From the early 2000s, the SpPz-23 began being replaced by newer vehicles, such as the Boxer IFV and Puma IFV.
However, modernized variants like the SpPz-23A4 remained in service with reserve and support units into the 2010s, particularly for:

Peacekeeping

Convoy escort

Rapid deployment in low-intensity zones

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📊 Technical Overview (A1 Model - 1977)

Specification Detail

Crew 4 (commander, driver, gunner, radio/operator)
Troop capacity 8 soldiers or 3 wounded + 1 medic
Weight 30 tons
Engine V12 diesel – 650 hp
Max Speed 100 km/h (on-road)
Drivetrain 8x8, hydropneumatic suspension
Main Armament 105 mm Rheinmetall Rh-105 L/51 (42 rounds)
Secondary Armament Coaxial MG3 + MG3 roof-mounted
Armor Resistant to small arms and shell splinters
Protection NBC system, self-sealing fuel tanks
Range 600 km

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I want to say that my dear friend @Sciskymaster made the chassis and I just modified his chassis a little, the reason is that I really like the physics of his vehicle and I realized that our styles on certain vehicles and with the addition of certain modifications are compatible, so I want to thank him for accepting that I use his chassis

AG-7 to start the engine AG-5 to open the rear door and AG-4 to open the hatches