Canberra and Rheinmetall Defence Australia have signed a production contract to deliver locally-developed Boxer Heavy Weapon Carrier vehicles to Germany.
Valued at over one billion Australian dollars ($653 billion), the agreement fulfills the foreign military sale approved in March for more than 100 Boxer systems.
Work for the program will take place at Rheinmetall’s Military Vehicle Center of Excellence in Redbank, Queensland.
The Australian Department of Defence wrote that the military cooperation will support 600 direct jobs in Queensland alongside the economic opportunities associated with the project’s supply chain.
Germany will start receiving the first Boxer vehicles in 2026, while the remainder will be shipped through 2030.
“This contract will supply our security partner, Germany, with one of the most advanced armoured vehicles in the world, and supports Australia’s world-class defence industry, not only here in Queensland, but throughout the national supply chain,” Australian Department of Defence Land Systems Head Maj. Gen. Jason Blain stated.
“This contract signing signals the strength of the ongoing partnership between the Australian Government and our nation’s defence industry, including Rheinmetall Defence Australia.
“Rheinmetall Defence Australia has strong, enduring partnerships with a large number of Australian companies skilled in the delivery of military vehicle capabilities.”
Contract Progress
Rheinmetall confirmed negotiations for the 100-Boxer order from Germany in April 2023. During this announcement, the company said the new armored fleet will replace Berlin’s existing Wiesel weapon carriers introduced in the 1980s.
A month earlier, Australia signed an agreement to export the systems to the European country.
In March 2023, the German government announced plans to acquire up to 211 Boxer vehicles in various configurations to meet the armed forces’ mission-specific requirements.
Boxer Armored Combat Vehicle
The Boxer was initially designed in the 1990s and has been operational since 2011.
Depending on its variant, the vehicle is equipped with 720 to 1,200 horsepower engines to achieve speeds between 45 to 103 kilometers (28 to 64 miles) per hour.
The system can be integrated with a turret cannon, remote weapon station, light and heavy rapid-fire guns, and anti-tank missiles.
The Boxer’s design has been continuously refined since it was first produced, with the most recent based on warfighter feedback to further enhance their experience of using the platform on the battlefield.
