100% of Final Assembly in UK if BOXER Wins

As decision time approaches for the British Army’s Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV) programme, the ARTEC consortium has signed agreements with a number of leading British industrials for production of its BOXER vehicle – a leading contender for the requirement.

Should BOXER be selected for MIV, at least 60% of its value creation and 100% of final assembly will take place in Britain, the consortium announced on 5 February. To ensure the best value to the British tax payer, ARTEC has defined a competitive process for the main partners and their supply chains to follow. BAE Systems, Parker Hannifin, Pearson Engineering, Rolls-Royce, Thales UK and WFEL will all supply British content, as well as the UK subsidiaries of ARTEC’s parent companies, Krauss-Mafei Wegmann, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles and Rheinmetall Military Vehicles Nederland. The UK played a major role in the design, development and testing of BOXER from 1999 to 2004. Upon acquisition, the UK would reassume the rights which it had as the original project partner. This would allow BOXER to be exported from the UK.

ARTEC’s investment in the UK value chain is estimated to secure or create at least 1,000 jobs around the country. The UK partnership approach will ensure that British companies are fully embedded in the MIV supply chain. Further, Rheinmetall intends to establish a modern production and integration centre for armoured vehicles in the UK as part of the programme. This represents a significant commitment from Rheinmetall which will lead to long-lasting armoured vehicle capability in the UK.

BOXER is proven against all the key requirements for MIV. Its high mobility, wide range of capabilities and maximum protection make it an ideal solution for UK operations. With around 700 vehicles delivered or under procurement, it is increasingly setting the standard for vehicles of its class among European NATO states.

TM