German automotive and arms manufacturer Rheinmetall and American aerospace, automotive and engineering company Honeywell have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop new technologies for various military applications.
The collaboration, formalized by Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger and Honeywell Aerospace Defense & Space President Matt Milas, will initially focus on creating advanced visual systems and auxiliary power units for military vehicles.
“From auxiliary power units and visual devices to building automation, the list of potential areas of cooperation for our two companies is long,” Papperger said in a statement. “We are grateful to have gained Honeywell as a strategic partner given their long history of innovation and broad technological portfolio.”
According to Rheinmetall, the visual systems will be based on Honeywell’s 360 Display, a head-worn vision system that combines augmented reality with a 360-degree view, providing optimal situational awareness for pilots and ground vehicle operators in austere environments.
Additionally, the companies seek to develop APUs for supplementary power to tactical vehicles when stationary, increasing operational readiness and operating time while minimizing thermal and acoustic signatures.
Other joint opportunities will be explored in areas such as localized maintenance and support for Honeywell products used by the German armed forces, industrial high-energy applications, counter-unmanned aircraft systems and electronic warfare.
This partnership is the latest in a series of collaborations recently announced by Rheinmetall. Earlier this month, the German arms manufacturer inked an agreement with Iceye to integrate synthetic aperture radar capabilities into its next-generation battlefield systems. It also recently extended its cooperation with MBDA Deutschland to develop a maritime laser weapon system.