Boxer (armoured fighting vehicle)

In December 2015 it was announced that Germany had placed a contract for an additional 131 Boxers worth EUR476 million.

In December 2015 it was announced that Lithuania had selected the Boxer. In August 2016 a EUR385.6 million production contract was placed with OCCAR for the supply of 88 Boxers, this understood to have been 84 IFV and 4 command vehicle variants. At this time it was stated that 53 Boxer would be manufactured by KMW and the remaining 35 by Rheinmetall, with deliveries running from 2017 through to 2021. In Lithuanian service the vehicle is designated as Vilkas (Wolf). The precise mix/number of Lithuanian vehicles has not always been clear, much of this down to wording/description of variants. Lithuania will receive a total of 91 Boxer in A2 configuration, 89 as variants of the baseline IFV configuration, plus two driver training vehicles. The exact IFV breakdown is: 55 IFV squad leader, 18 IFV platoon leader; 12 IFV company leader; 4 IFV command post. A single IFV will be used for maintenance training. The first two vehicles (driver training configuration) were delivered to Lithuania in December 2017.[10] The first two Boxer in IFV configuration were delivered on 25 June 2019 and at this time the Lithuanian MoD stated that 15 vehicles would be delivered to Lithuania in 2019, and that all 89 IFV variants would be delivered by the end of 2021.[11][12]

In June 2017 it was announced that the Bundeswehr's Boxer A1 fleet would be upgraded to A2 standard. Of the original German Army order most were delivered in A1 configuration, however 40 APC and 16 command post had been delivered in A0 configuration. These were subsequently upgraded to A1 configuration. The first A2 configured Boxer was delivered in June 2015.[2] According to ARTEC, the differences between A1 and A2 configuration are relatively minor electrical and mechanical engineering changes.[9]The A2 standard resulted from operations in Afghanistan and incorporates changes in the drive and in the mission module that include preparation for the integration of a driver vision system, changes to the stowage concept in both modules, changes to the gearbox, integration of a fire suppression system, modification of the RCWS, interface for an IED jammer, satellite communication system and other minor modifications."[13] The latest variant is the A3, the British the first customer for A3 in its entirety.[9]

On 4 July 2017 ARTEC awarded the then Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) a contract to upgrade 38 Bundeswehr Boxer command vehicles to A2 configuration. The value of the contract was stated to be €21 million. Work is scheduled for completion in mid 2020. At this time the Bundeswehr also had 124 Boxer APCs, 72 ambulances and twelve driver training vehicles to upgrade to A2 status.[14]

In February 2018 it was announced that Slovenia had selected the Boxer as the basis for two new mechanised infantry battle groups. Confirmation of a final proposal schedule for the procurement, which will be via OCCAR, was originally scheduled for September 2018. In November it was revealed that pricing issues had impacted the Slovenian timeline and that a new proposal from industry was pending. According to the Slovenian MoD's initial release on the subject, funding had been allocated for the procurement of 48 vehicles in 2018-20 for the first battle group, which was expected to become operational by 2022, followed by the second in 2025. The desired total is reported to be 112 Boxer (96 IFV, 16 mortar) plus a small number of driver training vehicles.[15] It was reported mid-2019 that Slovenia's accession to OCCAR alongside a contract for the vehicles had been suspended. The MoD has decided to conduct research and draw up a new comprehensive tactical study relating to the formation of a medium infantry battalion group, this likely to affect the procurement of 8×8 wheeled armoured vehicles. Following the completion and approval of the new tactical study, the ministry will re-examine the options available and make a decision on how to build a medium infantry battalion group capability.[16]

On 13 March 2018 it was announced that Rheinmetall Defense Australia (RDA) had been selected as the preferred tenderer for the Australian Army's Land 400 Phase 2 programme. Previously, on 28 July 2016 it was announced that the Boxer was one of two vehicle types (from four) down-selected to take part in the 12-month Risk Mitigation Activity for Land 400 Phase 2. At the contract negotiation stage RDA would deliver at least 211 Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRV) to the Australian Army, with a roll out of initial vehicles stated at this time by 2021. In Australian service the Boxer will replace the army's ageing fleet of 257 Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAV) that reach their life-of-type around 2021. [17][18][19][20][21] Under the company's offering to Australia, the first batch of 20 to 25 vehicles will be built in Germany in a move Rheinmetall says will support the transfer of technology. Australians will be embedded into teams in Germany to learn the necessary skills before transferring back to Australia for the build of the remaining CRVs. RDA's CRV build programme will focus on the development of a proposed Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in Brisbane, Queensland, which will be the hub for the production of the majority of the vehicles. The local build programme will include about 40 local suppliers that include the Bisalloy Steel Group, which will supply the Boxer's armoured steel, NIOA (ammunition and armament services), Tectonica (the vehicle's local situational awareness system), Supacat Australia (development and certification), Cablex (wiring and cables), G&O Kert, Hilton Manufacturing, Direct Edge and Plasteel (metal manufacturing and machining services), Hoffman Engineering (lighting and display components), Huber and Suhner (electronics components), Nezkot Precision Tooling and Engineering (turret assembly and testing), and Redarc (electronics). These industrial opportunities will create up to 1,450 jobs across Australia, with Boxer deliveries scheduled to be complete by 2026. The acquisition and sustainment of the CRVs is costed at AUD15.7 billion (US$12.2 billion). The acquisition is worth AUD5.2 billion, with the remaining AUD10.5 billion costed for sustainment over the vehicles' 30-year life.[22][23]

On 31 March 2018 it was announced by the UK government that it was re-joining the Boxer programme.[24] On 3 April 2018 this was followed by the announcement that Boxer had been selected by the British Army to meet its Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV) requirement.[25] It was first reported in October 2016 that the British Ministry of Defence had taken its first formal step, a preliminary market engagement, towards government-to-government acquisition of Boxer.[26] At DSEI 2017, a Boxer in a Union Jack paint scheme was shown by Rheinmetall to promote the vehicle for the MIV requirement. In November 2017, a company of German army mechanised infantry equipped with 11 Boxers exercised for the first time with British Army units on Salisbury Plain. British Army sources denied that the training exercise was linked to any decision on a procurement process for its MIV project.[27] On 4 February 2018 it was reported that Artec had signed agreements with UK suppliers including BAE Systems, Thales UK and Pearson Engineering, this contributing to the fact that 60% by value of the contract will be done in Britain, along with final assembly of the MIVs at facilities already owned by the consortium.[28] The 3 April announcement of Boxer's selection for MIV included no details relating to quantity, cost, timeline or any contractual status.[25]

In July 2018 there were three Boxer-related announcements made over a period of three days. On 17 July the Dutch MoD announced that the last Dutch Boxer had rolled off the production line, this being a cargo variant.[29] On 18 July the Lithuanian MoD announced that the country's first two Boxer prototypes had entered trials in Germany.[30] On 19 July 2018 via a Voluntary ex ante transparency notice the UK MoD disclosed its intent to order between 400 and 600 Boxers in four variants plus driver training vehicles, reference vehicles and support. The contract will contain options to increase the quantity of vehicles by up to an additional 900.[31]

On 19 September 2018, UK Defence Minister Stuart Andrew announced that Artec had been given the go-ahead to invite industry to bring forward actual contractible proposals for work on Boxer, allowing Artec to complete their supplier selection process before returning to the MOD with a formal proposal next year. Figures remained as 'over 500' and with the first vehicles to be in-service by 2023.[32]

On 29 March 2019 the Australian Ambassador to Germany inspected the first Boxer being delivered to the Australian Government under the LAND 400 Phase 2 program prior to its shipping to Australia.[33]

In July 2019 it was reported by Jane's that the first two of the 25 Boxer being built in Germany arrived in Australia that month. The 25 vehicles delivered from Germany will be split 13 reconnaissance platforms and 12 multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs). Once in Australia, these vehicles will receive a number of Australia specific modifications prior to final delivery to the Army. Modifications include installation of Australian Army specific communications and computing equipment, a remote weapon station, and Australian Army paint. The first vehicles will be operated by the Australian Army by the end of 2019. Rheinmetall will deliver 211 Boxer vehicles to the Australian Army under its contract with the Australian Government, and in service Boxer will fill seven different roles on the battlefield: reconnaissance, command and control, joint fires, surveillance, multi-purpose, battlefield repair and recovery. The reconnaissance variant will account for 133 of the 211 vehicles and is equipped with Rheinmetall's Lance turret system and armed with a 30 mm automatic cannon.[34][35]

Also in July 2019 Jane's reported that the first two Boxer (Vilkas) IFVs ordered by Lithuania would be officially handed over to the MoD on 9 July. Actual delivery occurred on 25 June. The MoD stated that 15 Vilkas would be delivered in 2019 and all 89 vehicles would be delivered by the end of 2021.

In September 2019 there were three Boxer-related announcements. On 10 September it was revealed that the target date for the UK's MIV programme to receive its main gate approval was 22 October 2019. It was reported that the business case for the purchase of an initial batch of 508 vehicles, valued at about GBP1.2 billion (US$1.48 billion), was currently under scrutiny by financial, commercial, and technical experts before receiving final approval by ministers. UK MoD officials submitted their final business case for the purchase of the Boxer MIVs on 9 September 2019 to meet the British Army's target of getting its first Boxer in service by 2023.[16] At the 2019 Defence and Security Equipment International exhibition (DSEI 2019) in London, Germany's Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG) presented an armoured recovery mission module (ARM) for the Boxer Christoph Jehn, FFG's project manager, stated the ARM was developed as a private venture from 2017. The company noticed Boxer users struggling to recover stranded vehicles with the aid of other Boxers and so decided to develop the bespoke mission module for the purpose. The ARM has an approximate weight of 13 tonnes, is manned by two personnel and connects to the Boxer using standard mechanical interfaces.[16] On 24 September 2019 it was announced that the first Boxer for the Australian Army had formally been handed over. The turretless vehicle was the first of 25 Boxers – 13 multipurpose and 12 reconnaissance variants – that are being manufactured in Germany through to 2021 to meet an early Australian capability requirement for familiarisation and training purposes. Production of the other 186 platforms will begin in late 2020 at a military vehicle centre of excellence under construction by Rheinmetall at Ipswich, southwest of Brisbane. This will be the company's largest facility outside Germany.[16]

Also in September 2019 reports emerged that Algeria had selected the Boxer and that production would commence shortly. As of February 2020 this had not been confirmed by ARTEC.

In January 2020 in an interview with Shaun Connors of Jane's, Stefan Lishka, MD of ARTEC, stated that only 8% of UK Boxers would be manufactured in Germany with the remainder being assembled at and delivered from two sites in the UK, Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) at Telford and KMW subsidiary WFEL at Stockport. Deliveries of series examples should start very early in 2023.

Production Boxer are fitted with a variety of armament ranging from a 7.62 mm light machine gun in a remote weapon station to a 30 mm cannon in a turret. Numerous armament options are offered.

At Eurosatory 2018 Rheinmetall displayed a Boxer fitted with the Oerlikon Skyranger air defence system.

Most in-service Boxers are equipped with a remote weapon station for self-defense. Dutch vehicles are fitted with the Protector M151 RWS from Kongsberg fitted with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. German vehicles are usually fitted with the FLW-200 from KMW, which can be fitted with either a 7.62 mm MG3 machine gun, a 12.7 mm M3M HMG or a 40 mm GMW automatic grenade launcher. The FLW-200 has dual-axis stabilization and incorporates a laser rangefinder and a thermal imager. As possible firepower upgrade KMW has developed the FLW-200+ and presented it mounted on top of a Boxer APC at Eurosatory 2012.[39] The FLW-200+ allows the usage of a 20 mm autocannon like the Rheinmetall Rh 202 with 100 rounds loaded at the gun. The RWS is two-axis stabilized and is fitted with a CCTV camera, thermal imager and laser rangefinder.[39] It is expected that UK Boxers will be fitted with a RWS.

Lithuanian Boxers are fitted with the Israeli-made RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Samson Mk II RCT turret, mounting a fully stabilised Orbital ATK Mk 44 30 mm dual-feed cannon, 7.62 mm co-axial MG, and Spike-LR missiles. The turret is fitted with an independent commander's sight with both commander and gunner provided with thermal and daylight channels.

Australian Boxer CRVs mount the Rheinmetall LANCE 30 mm two-man turret, fitted with the Rheinmetall Mauser MK30-2/ABM [air-bursting munition] dual-feed stabilised cannon and 7.62 mm coaxial MG. Turret traverse is all electric through a full 360° with weapon elevation from -15° to +45° with the latter useful for urban operations. A Rheinmetall computerised fire-control system is installed, which allows stationary and moving targets to be engaged with a high first-round-hit probability while the host platform is moving. The gunner has a Rheinmetall Stabilised Electro-Optical Sighting System (SEOSS), which typically has day/thermal channels and an eye-safe laser rangefinder. The commander has a Rheinmetall SEOSS panoramic sighting system, which allows hunter/killer target engagements to take place.[2]

The Boxer is constructed from rolled all-welded steel armour to which the AMAP-B module-based appliqué armour kit can be fitted as required by mission threat estimates. AMAP-B modules are taken from the IBD Diesenroth AMAP modular armour package and are fitted to the vehicle with shock absorbing mountings.[40] Exact details of Boxer protection levels have now been classified. According to ARTEC, the vehicle will withstand anti-personnel and large anti-tank mines of an undisclosed type under the wheel, platform or side attack. It has previously been stated that Boxer's baseline armour is all-round resistant to 14.5 mm armour-piercing ammunition in accordance with STANAG 4569 Level 4.

To increase survivability in case of armour penetration, the crew compartment is completely covered by an AMAP-L spall liner. The spall liner stops most of the fragments of the armour and projectile brought about by hull penetration. To further enhance crew protection, the seats are decoupled from the floor, this preventing the shock of a mine-detonation being directly transmitted to the crew. The roof armour of the Boxer is designed to withstand artillery fragments and top attack weapons such as bomblets fitted with a High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) warhead.

The Boxer drive module A1 (as designated by the German BWB) is an upgraded version of the baseline A0 version of the Boxer drive module, with the primary difference being the installation of a mine protection package fitted to the belly and wheel stations of the vehicle. The vehicle is fitted an additional armour package focused on protecting against side and underbody blast threats. This consists of the AMAP-M and AMAP-IED packages. An unspecified electronic countermeasure (ECM) system was also fitted to counter IEDs. These changes result in a 1,058 kg weight increase for the A1 over the baseline A0 APC variant. For the A2 Boxer protection is reported to have been increased further.[16]

Boxer's power pack consists of a MTU diesel coupled to an Allison transmission

The powerpack of Boxer consists of a MTU 8V199 TE20 diesel developing (originally) 720 hp and coupled to an Allison HD4070 fully automatic transmission with seven forward and three reverse gears. The powerpack can be replaced under field conditions in approximately 20 minutes. The MTU 8V199 TE20 engine is a militarised further development of the Mercedes-Benz OM 500 truck engine, modified by MTU to produce increased power via changes to the turbocharger, fuel injection and cooling systems. To maintain mobility levels at increased operating weights, the 8V199 TE20 is now available developing either 530 kW (711 hp) or 600 kW (805 hp), and when the drive module is fitted with the 600 kW version of this engine it is designated A3. Boxer is fitted with three fuel tanks containing a total of 562 litres, divided between a 280-litre front tank, 238-litre rear tank, and a 44-litre reserve tank.[16]

Boxer has full-time 8 × 8 drive with differential locks on all axles and the front four wheels steer. Tyres are 415/80 R27 Michelin XML on German and Dutch Boxers, with the Land 400 prototypes being fitted with 415/80 R 685 Michelin XForce 2, these having a 500 kg per wheel greater load rating than the XML and being more 'all-terrain' in design than the rocks/mud-optimised XML.[41] Standard fit for Australian and UK Boxers will be 415/80 R 685 Michelin XForce ZL rated to carry 5,600 kg each.[16]

A central tyre inflation system (CTIS) is fitted, and run-flat inserts allow for 30 km travel at up to 50 km/h in the event of a flat. Braking is provided by Knott pneumatic ABS on all wheels with main braking power actuated on the front two axles. Suspension is of the fully independent double wishbone type with coil springs.[42][16] Boxer can be transported in the Airbus A400M tactical airlifter.

•  Germany: German Army – 403 vehicles, deliveries until 2020. The first German order consisted of 272 drive modules and 272 accompanying mission modules encompassing 125 APCs, 72 armoured medical treatment vehicles, 10 driver training vehicles, and 65 command vehicles.
•  Lithuania: Lithuanian Land Force – 91 vehicles, deliveries until 2021. Lithuania will receive Boxer in A2 configuration, 89 as variants of the baseline IFV configuration, plus two driver training vehicles. The IFV breakdown is: 55 IFV squad leader, 18 IFV platoon leader; 12 IFV company leader; 4 IFV command post. A single IFV will be used for maintenance training. The first two vehicles (driver training configuration) were delivered to Lithuania in December 2017. The first two Boxer in IFV configuration were delivered on 25 June 2019 and at this time the Lithuanian MoD stated that 15 vehicles would be delivered to Lithuania in 2019, and that all 89 IFV variants would be delivered by the end of 2021.[57] In Lithuanian service these vehicles will be known as IFV Vilkas (Vilkas being Lithuanian for wolf).[58][59][10] and in June 2019 the Lithuanian MoD stated that 15 IFV Boxer/Vilkas would be delivered to Lithuania in 2019, and that all 89 IFV variants would be delivered by the end of 2021.[11][12]
•  Netherlands: Royal Netherlands Army – 200 vehicles, deliveries from 2013 until 2018. The last Dutch Boxer was produced in July 2018. Variant breakdown following a 2016 contract modification was 12 cargo, 92 engineer (subsequently converted 12 of the 92 to Battle Damage Repair (BDR) configuration), 36 command post, 8 driver training, 52 ambulance.
•  Australia: Australian Army – 211 vehicles on order, with deliveries expected until 2026.[60] Vehicles to be delivered under the Land 400 Phase 2 program.[61][62] 133 Australian Boxers will be procured as the reconnaissance variant and armed with Rheinmetall's 30mm LANCE turret system; the remainder will be variants will include ambulance, command and control, joint fires, surveillance, repair and recovery, and driver training types.

•  United Kingdom: British Army - 528 vehicles from 2022. Following an announcement on 31 March 2018 by the UK government that it was re-joining the Boxer programme, the UK government announced on 3 April that Boxer had been selected by the British Army to meet its Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV) requirement.[24][25] On 19 July the UK MoD disclosed its intent to order between 400 and 600 Boxer with options for a further 900, leading to a potential maximum procurement of 1500 vehicles.[63] If procured, the first vehicles are due to enter service in 2023. As a result of the UK's intended larger order and its return to being a program partner, an option to build and export Boxer from the UK will be explored.[64][65] In January 2019 Rheinmetall announced that subject to government approvals the company would buy a 55% share of UK-based BAE Systems' land business for £28.6 m. The joint venture (JV) would be called Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) and be headquartered at BAE's existing facility in Telford, Shropshire. If successful, the JV will have a positive effect on the MIV procurement.[66][67][68] On November 5, 2019, it was announced that a £2.3 billion deal for more than 500 Boxer armoured vehicles had been signed. There will be four variants,for a total of 528 units. Deliveries will start in 2023.[69][70]
•  Algeria: Algerian Army – production under license will start in 2020 500 unite will be produced by 2023[56].[71][72]

•  Slovenia: Slovenian Ground Force – In February 2018, the Slovenian Ministry of Defence selected the Boxer as the base vehicle around which to form a two new mechanised infantry battlegroups. The procurement was to proceed through OCCAR and a[73][74] 'kick off meeting' was held on 13 March 2018. The actual contract was expected to be signed Q4 2018 and the first series vehicle was planned to be delivered end of 2020.[75] It was reported in early 2019 that Slovenia's accession to OCCAR alongside a contract for the vehicles had been suspended, the MoD deciding to conduct a new tactical study, this likely to affect the procurement of 8×8 wheeled armoured vehicles.[76]