The British Army’s new Boxer armoured vehicle programme has encountered additional delays in reaching its Initial Operating Capability (IOC), according to written answers provided to Parliament by Defence Minister Luke Pollard.
Responding to questions from Conservative MP Mark Francois, Pollard confirmed that the approved IOC for the Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (Boxer) remains set for the final quarter of 2025, but that this timeline is currently under review. “An update will be provided shortly,” he stated.
Pollard explained that the delay stems mainly from “global supply chain issues which are not unique to Boxer or Defence.” These have affected manufacturing, delivery, and training schedules across the programme. Despite the setbacks, the minister said that trials have “progressed well” and that “a steady progression of vehicles are being received month on month for acceptance before being fielded to Field Army units.”
The Boxer will eventually form the backbone of the Army’s new Mechanised Infantry capability within 3rd (UK) Division, combining mobility, protection, and modular flexibility. Once in service, maintenance and support will initially be led by the holding units and Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, supported by Field Service Representatives from industry.
Pollard added that spares and support will be provided through the UK’s membership of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, in collaboration with other Boxer-operating nations, ensuring “reach back to industry for deeper maintenance if required.”
The Boxer fleet, built under a joint venture between Rheinmetall and BAE Systems, is being assembled in the UK at Telford and Stockport. The programme is one of the Army’s largest modernisation efforts, intended to replace legacy armoured vehicles and underpin the new Brigade Combat Team structure.
“remains set for the final quarter of 2025” so it is now October so what is the delay and how many are we getting “month on month”? One, two, ten ?
Read the headline, and immediately thought “Of course it does”
Clowns. Absolute fucking clowns.
Heck, Look at the size of that thing !
Do we even have enough Soldiers to fill one ?
1? Yes. 2? possibly , at a push! ..Push being the (in)operative word once it gets stuck in the mud….
“New Brigade Combat Team Structure.”
New? Still a Brigade. Same units, fewer of them, copy the American terminology.
New. So new in fact I hear the Army might make yet another U turn and call them simply a Brigade again. Which they always were and still are, albeit a Brigade less after the Strike debacle which cost the Army an Armoured Infantry Brigade and will, on official plans, cost it all the IFV of the two that remain.
“New Mechanized infantry capability.” Which replaces Armoured Infantry with Cannon and Chain gun.
It’s all new.
Mobility, protection, modular flexibility. Firepower conspicuous by it’s absence. Are there enough REME to change a module in the field? And how many modules have we ordered to change beyond the initial orders?
Sooner an IFV is ordered, Patria gets ordered in quantity for multiple roles, and these are concentrated in 7 Brigade the better.
As you might tell, I’m not a fan, not for the cost.
Surely “Not a fan , not at any cost” would be more appropriate? 😉
Very good points & I agree 👍 as for the number of REME my son is in & he went to Afghanistan as Infantry!
5 of our Brigades have an attached REME Battalion, then you have the LADs and WkSps at unit level.
I recall the Corps is around 9k? We have REME posters here who will know.
Was he attached to an Infantry Battalion? All are soldiers first.
Again true, they went as a coy & attached to an Infantry btn. I left in 94 so I’m not sure about what is what anymore, they keep changing the names!
9102 apparently👍
Just txt him 5 RA
Ahh, I was close mate.
ARTE et MARTE
by skill and by fighting
Or “twist to open”😝
Help me out on that one, his Mrs answered me with 5 RA, I take that as Artillery! He’s in Germany for 8 weeks so could be an attachment?
5 Regt Royal Artillery. If he’s in Germany for several weeks then he’s possibly supporting a firing camp at Munsterlager or similar ranges.
5 RA is Royal Artillery, It’s the Surveillance and Target Aquisition Regiment, using Radars to find enemy artillery positions basically.
Cheers to you & Ian for that 👍
To add to Derns post, based at Marne Barracks, Catterick.
Only STA Regiment in the regular RA.
4/73 particularly niche with its behind the lines Op role.
Didn’t this project start back around 2010?!
More like in the 90’s. We backed out, restarted, stopped, and rejoined a few times.
hahaha I wanted to say back in the 90s/00s, but my memory is pretty bad and i thought not even def Procurement can be that bad! by the time we get this “cutting edge, future Fighting vehicle” it will be so old it wouldnt even be liable for car tax 😀 maybe thats the plan
I mean it’s been in service with the German Army for over a decade now, we just got side tracked with all the UOR’s for Afghan,
Bit like the Boxer then! Back on track!
We got out due to concerns about escalating costs, size and weight and began FRESS development, which fizzled like a damp squid.
Its like they’re not taking defence seriously.
A problem with the army at the moment, or over at least the last 15 years, is the inability to create a plan, and stick to it, regards both Orbat and equipment, due to a mix of government imposed cuts and successive reorgs where the changes are not even fully actioned before a new plan arrives forced by finances or a new conop like Strike which impacted the 3 Bde 3 UK Armoured Division we had.
Its infuriating, this is the closest we’ve been to a World War in decades, theres a major war in Europe for christ sake.
Whatever the shade of HM Gooberment? Swerve, delay, and issue bullshit propaganda at every opportunity. Situation normal.