£2.3 Billion for 500+ Vehicles

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has let a contract to Artec, a consortium led by Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), valued at approx. £2.3 billion (€2.6 billion) for over 500 BOXER armoured vehicles, the companies announced on 8 November.

Awarded to Artec via the European procurement agency, the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), the contract meets the British Army’s Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV) procurement programme. Half the order volume will be subcontracted to each of the two consortium leaders: the total number of BOXERs already delivered by Artec or currently on order now exceeds 1,400 vehicles.

British BOXERs will be supplied in several different configurations, including an armoured personnel carrier, command vehicle, specialist carrier and field ambulance. Delivery of the vehicles is expected to start from 2023. Most production will take place in the UK, safeguarding and creating a substantial number of British jobs. Full-scale production will begin in Germany, but 90% of the BOXERs destined for the British Army will be produced in the UK, principally at plants operated by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) and KMW’s subsidiary WFEL.

This order marks the return of the UK to a European defence programme, having taken part in the BOXER project when it was still in its infancy. The vehicle is now on its way to becoming one of NATO’s standard platforms.