Zippermast at the training and field exercise “How the Army Will Fight”
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
The mission of the Army remains unchanged: to hold and capture territory, even in the face of enemy resistance. However, the way this mission is carried out is changing fundamentally, said Inspector of the Army Lieutenant General Dr. Christian Freuding during the Army’s training and field exercise in Munster.
He emphasized that the goal of the exercise was to demonstrate how the Army intends to fight in the future—to win. It is no longer solely a matter of capturing key terrain in mechanized combat. On a nearly transparent battlefield, the conditions for maneuver warfare must first be reestablished.
By this we mean the ability to conduct reconnaissance, carry out operations, and evade enemy reconnaissance by minimising one’s own visibility. It was precisely in this context that the Zippermast was deployed in Munster. From late April to early May 2026, the Army, together with allied forces and industry, tested new approaches to land warfare. Among those attending the exercise were German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, as well as members of the German Bundestag’s Defence Committee. Zippermast took part as an industry partner.
What the Zippermast is – and what it isn’t
The Zippermast is not a mast in the conventional sense of a static carrier or telescopic lifting device. It is a digital, mobile and height-adjustable interface for networking a wide variety of platforms with variable payloads. It supplies sensors or effectors with power and data, integrates into battle management systems and enables the digital integration and control of payloads – from reconnaissance cameras to anti-tank weapons.
Two configurations in Munster
In Munster, the Inspector described how existing technology and technology that may be introduced to the armed forces in the future were combined in a new way. Within this system, the Zippermast was deployed in two different configurations.
The Zippermast with a reconnaissance camera integrated onto an all terrain vehicle – quickly deployable, detachable, usable on demand, with short retention times in the reconnaissance area. Supplemented by a remotely controlled weapon station for self-defence.
In the dynamic demonstration – a combat formation comprising Boxers, Leopards, mortars, howitzers, helicopters, drones, loitering munitions and unmanned vehicles – a Zippermast with an anti-tank weapon was deployed on an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). The mission: to accompany the commander’s command vehicle and take over anti-tank duties when the manned systems take cover. The operating principle: reconnaissance sensors provide situational awareness, the mast aligns the effector, and the operator decides on the engagement. The human remains in the decision-making loop – the system ensures that they can act without being exposed themselves.
Why a height-adjustable mast instead of a weapon station permanently mounted on the UGV? Because the platform can remain in cover whilst the mast is in action. Because the height adapts to the terrain. And because the mast is not a dedicated weapon station – it is a universal interface that carries a camera today, an anti-tank weapon tomorrow, and a communications relay the day after.
Findings from the trial
A field trial lasting several days within a highly complex network under combat conditions yields different insights to those gained in the laboratory and was therefore extremely valuable. Although the system was still at an early stage of integration and largely prototype in nature, the risk of potential failure was deliberately accepted in order to take advantage of this unique testing opportunity. It became clear where the system needs to be made more stable and robust. The basic concept has proven its worth. At the same time, we found out where technical maturity needs to be further improved.
Project STAFF – Stability for Future
The ongoing measures to further stabilise and refine Zippermast technology are brought together under the internal programme STAFF – Stability for Future.
STAFF deliberately represents a company-wide approach: not just engineering and development, but all areas of the company contribute a targeted, unbiased perspective on the system in order to identify weaknesses.
Progress is reported here on a regular basis.
Lieutenant General Freuding spoke in Munster of a “curiosity about new things” and a “tangible spirit of renewal”. It is precisely with this ambition that we are pursuing STAFF.
You can find the video featuring Lieutenant General Dr Christian Freuding here:
