IRIA News

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Germany and the Netherlands have signed a $5.2 billion contract through the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) to procure 222 additional Boxer armored vehicles, including a new Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) variant called SCHAKAL.

The deal expands the multinational Boxer program’s total value to more than $11.6 billion, marking one of Europe’s largest joint armored vehicle procurements to date.

The agreement includes new ambulance and driver training variants for the German military, along with upgrades to existing Boxer medical vehicles. Enhancements feature updated command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) systems, visual sensors, and advanced medical equipment to improve frontline medical capabilities.

OCCAR said that the procurement package also includes initial in-service support and is based on the latest Boxer drive module, described as the future standard for all participating nations. The program is managed by OCCAR on behalf of Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, and the United Kingdom, and executed by ARTEC GmbH, a joint venture between Rheinmetall and KNDS.

Central to the expansion is the order of 222 SCHAKAL IFVs, a new variant that integrates the Puma RCT30 turret onto the Boxer chassis. Of the total, 150 SCHAKALs will go to Germany and 72 to the Netherlands, with both nations holding options for an additional 248 vehicles. The SCHAKAL’s development was approved by the German Bundestag’s Budget Committee with program costs estimated at $4.3 billion.

Series production is set to begin in mid-2028 after qualification of the new drive module, with deliveries scheduled through 2031. OCCAR Director Joachim Sucker described the contract as a “significant increase in capability for both nations,” adding that it demonstrates OCCAR’s capacity to manage “complex, multinational programs to time, cost, and performance.”

The SCHAKAL is the first Boxer variant to use the new Common Drive Module B0, which boosts payload capacity to 40 tons and includes a redesigned chassis, new tires, and NGVA-standard digital architecture with a gigabit data bus. It also offers optional 530 kW or 600 kW engine configurations and backward compatibility with existing mission modules.

The turret is equipped with a 30 mm MK30-2/ABM automatic cannon capable of firing air-burst munitions, a dual launcher for Spike LR anti-tank missiles (MELLS), and a coaxial machine gun. For reconnaissance, it integrates the Optronic Digital Weapon Station (WAO), a stabilized electro-optical sighting system featuring high-resolution infrared and daylight sensors, providing all-weather, long-range detection capabilities.

Each SCHAKAL carries a crew of three, a commander, gunner, and driver, plus an infantry squad of seven soldiers. In Germany, two of nine planned mechanized infantry battalions will be equipped with SCHAKALs to strengthen the Army’s Medium Forces, offering enhanced strategic mobility and air transportability.

Strategic Significance and Delivery Plans

The Boxer IFV variant is designed to deliver greater lethality, survivability, and interoperability within NATO’s armored formations. It will take over tactical roles previously performed by heavier tracked vehicles, improving mobility and digital integration on the modern battlefield.

Preparations for serial production are supported by advance payments in the low triple-digit million-euro range. A prototype of the B0 drive module is expected to be delivered for qualification before the first SCHAKAL vehicle arrives at the end of 2027.

The contract was formally signed at OCCAR’s headquarters in Bonn, symbolizing deepening European defense cooperation. With this latest order, the Boxer program continues to solidify its role as a core element of Europe’s modular and interoperable armored vehicle strategy, reflecting a broader shift toward long-term sustainment, fleet standardization, and joint development among NATO partners.