The British Army has taken delivery of the first fully UK-built Boxer armoured vehicle, a major step forward in one of the Army’s most significant modernisation programmes.
Produced by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) at its Telford facility, the vehicle has now been delivered to Bovington, where it will begin service as a training platform. There, troops will learn to drive, operate, and maintain the new 8×8 armoured vehicle, which is set to become a mainstay of the Army’s future force.
The milestone comes as part of a £5 billion investment into 623 Boxer vehicles for the British Army, which will be delivered in multiple variants and are intended to equip the Army’s future mechanised infantry. The platform offers modularity, high mobility, and enhanced protection.
Around 75 percent of Boxer components are sourced domestically, and UK production is now underway at both RBSL in Telford and WFEL in Stockport. The Boxer programme is expected to support around 400 direct jobs in Telford and Stockport, and more than 1,000 across the wider UK supply chain.
Some initial production continues in Germany as manufacturing transitions to the UK. This move is consistent with the government’s drive to build domestic industrial resilience and expand British manufacturing capacity.
Defence Procurement Minister Maria Eagle said the project reflected the aims of the government’s Plan for Change and the forthcoming Defence Industrial Strategy. She noted that the programme “delivers both cutting-edge capability for our soldiers and high-value industrial benefits at home.”
The UK Boxer programme sits alongside procurement of 148 Challenger 3 tanks and the Ajax family of tracked reconnaissance vehicles. Together, these three platforms are expected to create and sustain over 6,000 defence manufacturing jobs across the UK.
Great to see we won’t be investing in any £10 million pound tow trucks with boxer unlike Ajax but we will continue to invest in £10 million pound ambulances to save money on logistics.
Boxer is an amazing vehicle but the army needs to rationalise what variants are doing. It’s not CVR(t)
There are much cheaper and easier ways to provide support vehicles like the patria 6×6
Focus boxer hulls on capabilities like RCH155 were it is vitally important and cost effective.
Agreed, Patria 6×6 is the ideal battle taxi for large numbers of soldiers, using Boxer as an APC is not utilising its full potential and doesn’t represent good value for money (even if it is a very good APC).
Except that Role 1 Battlefield Ambulances actually end up really far forwards so having STANAG level 6 does actually make sense.
FYI level 6 is for the front slope, otherwise it is level 4 on sides and rear
To be fair to Ajax, I spoke to some RTR guys a month or two ago and they said they’re running well now- gun’s pretty good too. I’ll be honest, with the way that the fighting looks in Ukraine, heavily armoured scouts that can support infantry with an autocannon may stand as not the worst idea.
I agree with you, though, we could certainly do with reviewing the types and uses that we’re planning for both Ajax and boxer platforms…
I presume rightly or wrongly that the majority of Boxers will be the bargain basement version without a turret?
No turreted modules have been ordered.
No surprises there, like I said, bargain basement version……
Wow just one, job done then, when was boxer first ordered? how many German made one are already in service?
Not bad. From it’s original inception it’s only taken us 26 years to get this one. Another one next year?