The Commonwealth of Australia has signed the production contract for 123 Boxer Heavy Weapon Carrier vehicles with more than 100 of those vehicles to be exported from Australia for use by the German Army; making it Australia’s largest foreign military export to Germany.
The procurement of the Heavy Weapon Carrier vehicles is based on a mutual agreement between the Australian and the German Government. Rheinmetall has announced the contract with the German authorities with a total volume of €2.7 billion, including maintenance and repair, after the commissioning in March 2024. The corresponding production contract has now been awarded in Australia.
Nathan Poyner, Managing Director of Rheinmetall Defence Australia, confirmed that the order is Australia’s largest foreign military export to Germany. “Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2025 with the first Australian-built vehicle to be delivered in 2026,” Poyner added.
The Heavy Weapon Carrier, or “Schwerer Waffenträger Infanterie” vehicle is based on the Australian Army’s Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV).
The Boxer vehicle is an advanced, armoured 8×8 vehicle in service with armies around the globe. It offers enhanced troop safety, security and protection, coupled with high levels of firepower and mobility for sustained operations ranging from peacekeeping to high-intensity combat. The CRV is equipped with a reconnaissance mission module including the two-person digital Lance turret; the first crewed medium-calibre turret to be put into service on the Boxer platform.
The German Boxers are to be produced at Rheinmetall’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence at Redbank in South East Queensland, where more than 650 skilled Rheinmetall workers produce vehicles, armour and electronics for Australia and global partners.
The contract supports Rheinmetall’s vision to build and grow Australia’s defence industry capability to create local net value and integrate Australian companies into Rheinmetall’s global supply chain.
Armin Papperger, Chairman of the Executive Board of Rheinmetall AG: “We appreciate to have been selected to supply the Heavy Weapon Carrier vehicles for an essential element of the German Army’s new force category, the ‘medium forces’.
“We are integrating the expertise and capabilities of our Australian MILVEHCOE colleagues from our global Rheinmetall network to provide the German Army with the required combat vehicles as quickly as possible. This further deepens defence ties between Australia and Germany and enhances a sustained sovereign defence capability in Australia.
“We welcome the close partnership between Australia and Germany in strategic defence activities as the two nations work together to increase global security. The German Boxer program from Australia has been made possible by Rheinmetall’s long-term Australian investment in product development and advanced manufacturing,” said Armin Papperger, Rheinmetall CEO.
In addition to the 211 Boxer vehicles ordered under Australia’s LAND 400 Phase 2 project – 133 of which are the CRV variant with the crewed digital Lance turret – the company also services the Australian Army’s HX truck fleet, which comprises more than 2,900 vehicles, provides the MASS Multi-Ammunition Soft-Kill System to the Royal Australian Navy, manages training systems for Defence and has delivered more than 200 HX Trucks to the New Zealand Defence Force.
