While neither Rheinmetall nor Northrop Grumman will confirm that they are teaming for Land 400, the stars point toward such an alignment. The Boxer is the big boy of the competition, being larger and heavier than most in the field but this brings with it an added level of protection.
The Boxer is an eight-wheeled MRAV, easily dwarfing most contemporary vehicles with its size. At 33 tonne combat weight, it is also about 10 tonnes heavier than many other contemporary vehicles within the same role. It is designed to carry out a variety of utility missions with maximum flexibility; this is achieved via several different "mission modules" specialized for various tasks which are available separately from the vehicle. The base vehicle is independent of the modules, and modules can be interchanged within an hour. Each module incorporates a primary safety cell with a triple floor.
The Boxer is built with a high degree of standardization, and designed to be maintained easily and efficiently. It is capable of being air transported in the A400M tactical airlifter.
Most Boxer variants feature the remote-controlled light remote weapon station 200 (FLW 200) produced by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW).
Having joined forces to form the ARTEC consortium, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) manufactures the Boxer in cooperation with fellow German defence contractor KMW under a bi-national program, in which Rheinmetall holds a 64 per cent stake.
The Boxer is a cooperative European design project aimed at producing the next generation of armoured utility vehicle. The project was originally started as a joint venture between Germany, Britain and France, but France left the program in 1999, later to pursue their own design, the Véhicule Blindé de Combat d'Infanterie (VBCI). See PXX for more on this vehicle.
However, in early 2001 the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding and joined the project. In July 2003, shortly after the start of the Iraq war, the UK Ministry of Defence announced its intention to withdraw from the Boxer programme and focus on the Future Rapid Effect System (FRES), which has since been cancelled.
The Netherlands requires around 400 Boxers, to replace the M577 and the support variants of the YPR-765 in the Royal Netherlands Army, with the Netherlands having already confirmed the procurement of 200 vehicles in autumn of 2006.
On December 13, 2006 the German parliament approved the procurement of 272 Boxers for the German Army, to replace shares of its M113 and Fuchs TPz 1 vehicles. When the high numbers of Fuchs´ become obsolete by 2020, more Boxers are likely to follow.
The basic vehicle shell is composed of hard steel, and "modular armour" is sandwiched between it and the vehicle cell. The three elements are held together by fastening bolts. The modular armour, currently, is a specialized ceramic mix, but future versions of the armour can be easily fitted to the vehicle by slab replacement. The hull protects against top attack bomblets and anti-personnel mines, including suspended seats to improve crew protection from explosions below the vehicle. The vehicle is outfitted with advanced thermal, radar, and acoustic stealth technology.
In spring 2011 first German production vehicles with FLW200 remote weapon stations (equipped with M2QCB machine guns and H&K 40mm GMGs) were handed over to Infantry Battalion 292 and Mountain Infantry Battalion 231 for training and deployment to Afghanistan in the second half of 2011. The Germans in Afghanistan deployed all four Boxer variants.
The Boxer IFV variant, equipped with the LANCE turret system is in line with the modular Boxer philosophy as the LANCE turret itself features a new modular design. It thereby ensures maximum flexibility and an optimized capability for further upgrades for changing requirements. Also the protection of the turret is adaptable for a wide range of missions and to face different threats.
The IFV variant can transport up to eight soldiers, besides the driver. A variety of individual modules allows for either a two-man or a remotely controlled turret design – one concept with two configurations.
Most recently, RMMV has commenced preparations for a series of international customer presentations for the latest updated Boxer IFV, these including specific demonstrations of mobility in rough and adverse terrain, HVAC (heating ventilation and air condition) capabilities, and a live-fire event.
“Rheinmetall Defence Australia and its local business units currently have teams in Australia and Germany evaluating options in response to the Land 400 RFT,” Adrian Smith, Managing Director of Rheinmetall Defence Australia said to ADM in a statement. “Rheinmetall has the internal capability to meet each of the requirements stipulated in the RFT, either as a vehicle prime through its Boxer platform or a supplier of major systems such as the Lance Turret and Active Defence Systems. These present Rheinmetall with the opportunity to deliver world leading technology to the Australian Defence Force.”
While some have questioned the size and weight of the vehicle and its subsequent ability to cross small bridges (the Boxer is the heaviest of the contenders currently on the table), one might suggest that since the vehicle has almost the same power to weight ratio as a Leopard tank, why not just cross the gap without the bridge at all.
This article first appeared in Australian Defence Magazine VOL.23 No.4, April 2015