Rheinmetall will supply Ukraine with two Forward Surgical Team (FST) stations.

The German company will supply Ukraine with two FSTs acquired under the German government’s “Enable & Enhance” Initiative, with a contract value in the high single-digit million euro range. The systems are due to be delivered in late 2023 and early 2024. Rheinmetall has already supplied Ukraine with a modern field hospital.

An FST unit comprises three sets of vehicles, each consisting of a truck, a trailer and a total of six containers, which remain truck- and trailer-mounted even during operation. When deployed, the containers, which are interconnected and expandable, include a reception and triage area, an X-ray shelter, a pre-operation unit and an operating room unit as well as an intensive care unit. It is equipped with a generator and water tank and can operate independently for at least 48 hours.

The system features high-performance X-ray technology from Siemens Healthineers, a strategic partner of Rheinmetall. FSTs are intended for critical trauma control surgery and allow lifesaving procedures to be performed very quickly on severely injured soldiers near the front lines of the battlefield. Patients are stabilized and prepared for transfer to other medical units for further treatment. Their structure allows for quick movement and short installation time in a new location.

Also read: Germany’s Rheinmetall supplies Ukraine with state-of-the-art field hospital