The Schützenpanzer SPz 11-2 Kurz armoured infantry fighting and reconnaissance vehicle was developed for the West German army and was a minor modification of a French-designed vehicle (Hotchkiss SP1A). During the period between 1959 and 1967, the West German army received some 2,374 of these light armoured vehicles with the SPz 11-2 Kurz being developed as the reconnaissance version. The SPz 11-2 served in cannon platoons of armored infantry battalions until 1974 and remained in service as a reconnaissance vehicle until 1982. The SPz 11-2 was replaced in the IFV role by the Marder and in the reconnaissance role by the Spähpanzer Luchs. The SPz 11-2 saw service with the West German army only.

Its designator "Schützenpanzer Halbgruppe" already hinted on its combat rôle as the Infantry Fighting Vehicle ("Schützenpanzer") of a Squad ("Halbgruppe", literally "half a section", or Trupp). It was introduced besides the Schützenpanzer lang HS-30.