The first of 13 protected-wounded transport containers (GVTC) from Airbus Defence and Space has now been delivered to the German Armed Forces. Their medical staff will now use them to save lives: inside the containers, they can transport the sick, injured, and wounded safely to hospitals or field hospitals, and even treat them while doing so.

The first GVTC, which was delivered on April 20, will serve as a “proof-of-concept” vehicle. This indicates that the GVTC will enter series production when the Bundeswehr tests the container and trains and educates its medical personnel on it. The 12-series GVTCs will then be delivered to the Bundeswehr between 2024 and 2026.

The GVTC is based on the global ISO standard 20-foot container, which Airbus Defence and Space developed alongside partners Drehtainer GmbH and Binz Automotive. It is around 6 metres long and has an integrated hook roll-off system for simple mounting on existing Bundeswehr trucks.

Two paramedics are able to care for up to eight patients at once in the GVTC. They are able to execute defibrillator procedures, monitor patients’ vital signs and oxygen saturation levels, and ventilate patients using the integrated oxygen-generation system. The container also shields the people within from chemical warfare agents, massive explosions, and shelling, as well as the equipment inside from those threats. While a high-performance air-conditioning system enables the GVTC to be used in extreme climatic conditions, a power generation unit allows for hours of self-sufficient operation.