In its final form, the vehicle entered military tests in 1966, and soon the IFV entered mass production under the name SPz Marder (German for “marten”). R&D took about 9 years, during which several prototypes were built. An order from the Bundeswehr was given to Rheinmetall AG, where an experimental BMP was developed at the same time as the Leopard 1 project.
In the early 1960’s in Germany, the development of the first infantry fighting vehicle of Western nations began.
