Germany has revealed its plan to acquire Boxer armored fighting vehicles to integrate primary capabilities into the military’s newly established Medium Forces.
Germany has revealed its plan to acquire Boxer armored fighting vehicles to integrate primary capabilities into the military’s newly established Medium Forces.
The package includes vehicles in their 30-millimeter Remote Control turret (RCT30) variants, which was first revealed by German defense contractors Rheinmetall and KNDS Deutschland in 2016.
Berlin’s draft budget for this future procurement amounts to 3.9 billion euros ($4.5 billion), according to local news outlet Hartpunkt, with 1.1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) allocated for the program's initial stages.
The NATO member did not disclose the quantity of Boxers to be ordered under this framework, but sources project it would cover up to 148 platforms.
The RCT30 will complement 123 Boxers based on Australia’s Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV) configuration being procured under a separate contract for the military’s Heavy Weapon Carrier Infantry.
Army soldiers in front of Australia's Boxer test vehicle. Photo: Marcus Jacobs/Australian Department of DefenceFor Operational Flexibility
Berlin’s Medium Forces is intended to fill the mobility gap between light and heavy infantry, delivering a modern, agile unit for the German Armed Forces, partners in Eastern Europe, and NATO’s multinational Response Force Very High Readiness Joint Task Force.
The doctrine behind this formation emphasizes speed, surprise, and concentrated firepower, aiming to disable enemy units quickly through highly coordinated attacks.
The Medium Forces’ key armament is the RCT30 cannon that would significantly support the Lance turret installed aboard the Heavy Weapon Carrier Infantry’s Boxers, as well as other combat vehicles such as the Puma, the CV90, and the Lynx.
The Boxer RCT30
Germany’s incoming Boxer RCT30 is an 8x8 system measuring 8 meters (26 feet) in length, with a capacity for up to 10 troops.
Its remote weapon station includes Rheinmetall’s MK30-2/ABM air burst munition automatic cannon, which fires 200 rounds per minute and can engage targets at approximately 3,000 meters (9,844 feet), as well as optional counter-drone and coaxial machine guns.
The vehicle is powered by an 816-horsepower MTU 8V199 TE21 diesel engine, capable of speeds exceeding 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour and an operational range of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles).
Skyranger turret mounted on Boxer armored fighting vehicle. Photo: Rheinmetall via Twitter