Rheinmetall’s Breaching Demon Can Demine Hostile Land Within Minutes

Rheinmetall has introduced the Keiler NG, a next-generation armored breaching vehicle (ABV) designed to aid military forces in navigating and clearing minefields efficiently.

The Keiler NG is equipped with a robust rotor-powered mine flail system, allowing it to rapidly clear lanes through enemy minefields. This rotating mine-clearing system ensures that hidden mines are neutralized, providing safe passage for friendly troops and vehicles. As the vehicle advances, the rotating blades at the front burst any mines in its path, ensuring a secure environment for advancing forces.

In August, Rheinmetall showcased the Keiler NG’s impressive capabilities at a live demonstration held at the Bergen military training area, attended by representatives from armed forces, procurement authorities, and industry experts. The demonstration highlighted the vehicle’s use of the Pearson mine plough, which can clear mines over a width of 13.1 feet (4 meters) at a speed of 820 feet (250 meters) per minute. The Pearson plough can also be quickly swapped for a dozer blade to remove anti-tank obstacles or create emplacements.

One of the Keiler NG’s standout features is its integration with the rocket-assisted “Plofadder” detonation cord system, developed by Rheinmetall Denel Munition. The Plofadder can rapidly clear a breach 524.9 feet (160 meters) long and 29.5 feet (9 meters) wide through minefields and obstacles. This system provides fast-moving attack groups with a way to breach both anti-tank (AT) and anti-personnel (AP) minefields with minimal delay, as demonstrated during the event when the Keiler NG used the Plofadder to clear a path within minutes.

The vehicle also has additional advanced features, including an integrated crane, the ROSY rapid obscurant system, and the Remotely Controlled Weapon Station Natter 12.7 for self-defense. The Keiler NG is operated by a crew of just two personnel, with Rheinmetall already planning to introduce remote-controlled capabilities and an active protection system to enhance the vehicle’s battlefield resilience.

First unveiled to the public at the Eurosatory 2024 trade fair in Paris, the 63-ton Keiler NG reaches a top speed of 40 miles per hour (65 km/h) and can overcome obstacles such as 2.9-foot (90 cm) climbs and 8.2-foot (2.5 m) trenches.

The vehicle is based on the chassis of the Kodiak armored engineer vehicle and is part of the Leopard 2 family. Existing Kodiak vehicles can even be retrofitted to match the Keiler NG’s configuration with the use of equipment kits.