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Dec 6 2024

OCCAR Celebrates 25 Years of the BOXER Programme

Bonn/Germany - December 2024 marks 25 years since the international BOXER Programme was formally integrated into OCCAR, responsible for delivering the state-of-the-art BOXER 8x8 armoured military vehicle to Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania and the United Kingdom (UK) as the current participating nations. 

The effective modular concept of a common drive module and interchangeable mission module ensures maximum strategic advantage and tactical mobility in a wide range of operational scenarios, and this significant milestone in the programme lifecycle allows us to reflect on the BOXER’s journey so far, to celebrate its achievements and to look forward to planned future developments.

The legacy of BOXER is firmly rooted in the international arena, with involvement from Germany, France and the UK in the 1990s defining the conception and early phases of the BOXER platform. A particular focus was to deliver a family of vehicles that could address a wide range of operational scenarios whilst addressing key mobility, protection and load-bearing requirements. As an international organisation responsible for the effective and efficient management of complex, multinational defence programmes, OCCAR was the natural choice for delivery of the BOXER Programme and the agreement to integrate the programme into OCCAR came on 10 December, 1999.

The BOXER Development Contract was signed shortly thereafter, allowing the BOXER to begin its journey through system engineering design and development phases. In 2006, the BOXER Production Contract was first signed followed by subsequent uplifts, procuring 605 German and Dutch BOXER in driver training, infantry carrier, command, ambulance, cargo and engineering vehicle variants. This BOXER saw operational use in Afghanistan between 2011 to 2014, allowing many lessons learnt to be incorporated in the more recent design.

In 2016, Lithuania joined the OCCAR BOXER Programme with an order for 91 BOXER vehicles in various infantry fighting vehicle configurations, seeing production vehicles arriving from 2019. The year 2019 was also noteworthy as it saw Australia join the BOXER Programme as an observer nation, enabling a valuable information-sharing channel between BOXER users. The UK also re-joined the BOXER Programme, with a large order for 628 BOXER vehicles in command, infantry and specialist carriers, and ambulance variants, with production vehicle deliveries planned up to 2032. This significant increase in vehicle order numbers provided a further catalyst to the BOXER Programme, with the development and qualification of the most advanced Drive Module to date as well as leading to two new BOXER production facilities in the UK, with ramp-up to vehicle production well underway, alongside three existing production facilities in Germany and the Netherlands.

As the cornerstone to every successful programme, the behind-the-scenes programme management, delivery teams and wider stakeholder interactions have been crucial. This sees the BOXER Programme Division in OCCAR, consisting of 31 cross-functional and multinational individuals, working closely with the prime contractor ARTEC GmbH, a joint venture of KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH and Rheinmetall Defence Nederland B.V. Cooperation between OCCAR and key specialists from nations, industry and the wider supply chain has been fundamental to the BOXER Programme progress and success to date, as well as facilitating effective knowledge and best practice transfer.

The last 25 years has thus seen a tremendous advance in establishing BOXER as a world-class wheeled armoured vehicle, with over 1,300 BOXER vehicles and more than €6.2bn placed onto contract. The key to BOXER’s longevity and ongoing success lies in its modularity, adaptability and international cooperation. This has allowed the platform to undergo continuous development and modernisation to encapsulate technological advancements whilst meeting evolving capability requirements.

Nations are continuing to invest in further development, with upgrades, enhancements and new variants either being actively progressed or in the pipeline. Most recently, Lithuania ordered a further 27 BOXER vehicles including a new engineering variant in October 2024, and new contracts are currently being pursued for all other nations, which could see new variants such as bridge layer, repair and recovery, armoured mortar, electronic warfare and new infantry fighting vehicles brought onto contract in the near future.

The BOXER Programme is therefore at an exciting frontier, ensuring improved capabilities and higher levels of performance and protection can be delivered to support nations in achieving critical defence outcomes and to adapt to the evolving global security environment.