{"id":37148,"date":"2026-08-11T06:46:06","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T03:46:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/?p=37148"},"modified":"2026-08-11T06:46:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T03:46:08","slug":"germany-and-netherlands-order-69-boxer-rct30-infantry-fighting-vehicles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/germany-and-netherlands-order-69-boxer-rct30-infantry-fighting-vehicles\/","title":{"rendered":"Germany and Netherlands order 69 Boxer RCT30 infantry fighting vehicles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

5 minute read<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Germany and the Netherlands are expanding their fleets of Boxer RCT30 wheeled infantry fighting vehicles with a new order for 69 vehicles, strengthening a joint European procurement program.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Germany will receive 35 additional vehicles, while the Netherlands will receive 34. The new order follows a 2025 agreement covering 222 Boxer RCT30 systems and brings the Dutch fleet to 106 vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The procurement was placed through the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), the European agency responsible for managing multinational defense programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vehicles are being produced by ARTEC, a joint venture between KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall responsible for the Boxer program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The additional order exercises an option under the existing 2025 contract. The original agreement was valued at $5.4 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Expanding Joint European Program<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Germany had previously ordered 150 Boxer RCT30 vehicles under the program. The additional 35 will increase its planned fleet, while the Netherlands will add 34 vehicles to reach a total of 106.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest procurement also increases investment in the wider Boxer program. OCCAR said the additional order brings total new investment in the Boxer program to nearly \u20ac6.5 billion over the past 12 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program is intended to provide both countries with a common combat vehicle while increasing production volumes and reducing differences in training, maintenance and logistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

KNDS Deutschland CEO Florian Hohenwarter said joint procurement would support faster deliveries and improve training and logistics while ensuring interoperability between the German and Dutch armed forces.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Boxer<\/a>
Boxer armored wheeled Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV). (Image Credit: Rheinmetall)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Germany and the Netherlands have previously cooperated on major military programs, including the Leopard 2 main battle tank and Boxer armored vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest order continues that approach as European countries seek to expand defense production and improve the ability of their armed forces to operate together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Boxer RCT30 And Schakal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Boxer RCT30 combines the wheeled Boxer armored vehicle chassis with a 30 mm turret developed for the Puma infantry fighting vehicle. An infantry fighting vehicle is an armored combat vehicle designed to carry infantry into battle while also providing them with direct fire support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vehicle can engage moving targets while on the move. It is also designed to provide counter-drone and counter-aircraft capabilities, giving the platform a broader role on a battlefield increasingly affected by unmanned systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The German military designates the vehicle as the \u201cSchakal.\u201d It is intended to become a key combat vehicle for the Bundeswehr\u2019s new \u201cMedium Forces,\u201d a formation concept designed to operate between heavily armored units and lighter infantry formations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Medium Forces are intended to combine the mobility of wheeled vehicles with significant firepower and protection. The Boxer\u2019s wheeled design allows the force to move rapidly while retaining the ability to conduct mechanized combat operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RCT30 can carry a squad of six dismounted soldiers, allowing infantry to deploy from the vehicle and operate alongside it. The vehicle is also equipped with the MELLS, or Multi-Role Light Guided Missile System, an anti-tank guided missile system that allows it to engage heavily armored targets, including main battle tanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its combination of a 30 mm cannon, anti-tank missiles, and counter-air capabilities gives the Schakal the ability to address a range of threats rather than serving only as an armored transport.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Boxer<\/a>
Boxer Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) SCHAKAL. (Image Credit: KNDS\/via Netherlands Ministry of Defence)<\/sup><\/em>

<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Focus On Drones and Modern Battlefield Threats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RCT30’s counter-drone and counter-aircraft capabilities reflect the growing importance of unmanned systems on modern battlefields.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vehicle’s weapons and sensors allow it to support mechanized infantry while also contributing to protection against aerial threats. This gives the platform a role beyond traditional infantry support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Germany has been working to strengthen the capabilities of its armed forces as part of a broader effort to expand conventional military capacity in Europe. The Boxer RCT30 is expected to form a central component of the Bundeswehr’s Medium Forces as Germany reorganizes and modernizes its land forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Netherlands is pursuing a similar effort through its continued investment in the Boxer platform, allowing its forces to maintain a common vehicle family with Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The common platform can also make cross-border operations easier by reducing differences in equipment, training and logistical requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


European Cooperation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The procurement highlights the role of multinational programs in Europe’s effort to increase defense production and military readiness. OCCAR said the agreement demonstrates the value of collaborative defense programs by strengthening interoperability, improving production efficiency and supporting operational readiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Higher production volumes can also help manufacturers maintain production capacity while allowing participating countries to share aspects of training, maintenance and logistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Boxer RCT30 is already under contract for four nations, according to Army Technology, with Germany and the Netherlands among its users. The wider Boxer platform is already in service with seven nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Germany’s growing investment in the vehicle also fits into Berlin’s broader effort to expand its military capabilities and strengthen the Bundeswehr’s conventional forces.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Boxer<\/a>
Boxer Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV). (Image Credit: Rheinmetall)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The new order therefore represents more than an increase in vehicle numbers. It also reinforces a model in which European countries purchase common equipment to improve battlefield compatibility while supporting domestic defense production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Additional Equipment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vehicle program also includes investments in supporting technologies. German defense electronics company Hensoldt previously received a contract from KNDS worth about $334 million to provide 288 digital optronics systems for Schakal vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Optronics combine optical and electronic technologies to provide capabilities such as observation, targeting and situational awareness. Such systems are particularly important for vehicles expected to operate in complex environments and detect both ground and aerial threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together with its 30 mm turret, MELLS missile system and counter-drone capabilities, the equipment is intended to give the Schakal the sensors and weapons needed to support Germany’s Medium Forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The additional 69 vehicles will expand the number of Boxer RCT30 systems available to both Germany and the Netherlands while deepening their cooperation on land warfare capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The order also reinforces the broader European push toward joint procurement, higher production volumes and greater interoperability as Germany and its allies seek to strengthen their conventional military capabilities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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