Germany and the Netherlands have entered into a €4.5 billion ($5.25 billion) procurement agreement through OCCAR with Artec GmbH—a collaboration between Rheinmetall and KNDS Deutschland—to acquire 270 Boxer armored vehicles. Under this contract, the German Bundeswehr will receive 198 units, including 150 infantry fighting vehicles, 10 driver training vehicles, and 38 ambulances, slated for delivery between 2027 and 2031. The Dutch military will obtain 72 vehicles, with initial deliveries by the end of 2028. The contract also provides an option to purchase an additional 248 vehicles (200 for Germany and 48 for the Netherlands). A key highlight is the Schakal IFV, a joint German-Dutch development merging the Boxer wheeled chassis and Rheinmetall’s unmanned RCT30 turret armed with a 30mm stabilized autocannon firing programmable airburst rounds designed to counter small drones at engagement ranges up to 1,500 meters. The turret’s anti-tank capability is supplemented with a MELLS missile launcher carrying Spike LR family guided missiles. The platform incorporates the most advanced Boxer drive module, expected to standardize operational and maintenance processes across OCCAR partner states, underscoring enhanced mobility, protection, and modular lethality for modern mechanized infantry units.
