The Australian military has begun training troops in its new Boxer combat vehicles at the Wide Bay Training Area in Queensland.
A live-fire exercise was carried out after Rheinmetall announced the start of local production of the armored vehicles for Canberra.
The army’s 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment was tasked with testing the Boxer’s capabilities, particularly in protecting soldiers in high-threat environments.
Cavalry Troop Leader Lieutenant Aaron Ivers explained that the training is crucial to ensure soldiers are familiar with the new vehicles.
“We have a progression of training we need to meet,” he said. “We start small and work our way up to larger maneuver exercises and we make sure everyone in the troop is comfortable in that progression of training to meet that high standard.”
‘As Smart As Humans’
According to Australian Army official Lieutenant Dane Brooks, the live-fire exercise has been running smoothly.
He also noted that the vehicles have many capabilities Australian soldiers are learning to maximize.
He cited the Boxer’s increased lethality, survivability, and maneuverability over its predecessor, the Australian Light Armored Vehicle.
“It’s basically just as smart as a human at times, so we are learning to evolve with that every single day,” Brooks said.
Rheinmetall has already delivered 25 Boxer combat vehicles to the Australian Army – all built in Germany.
Around 200 more vehicles will be produced at the company’s Brisbane facility.
