Rheinmetall has announced the delivery of the 25th Boxer 8×8 combat reconnaissance vehicle (CRV) to the Australian Army under the Project LAND 400 Phase 2 CRV program.
The milestone was achieved to coincide with a visit to Rheinmetall Defence Australia’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in Redbank, Queensland by Defence Minister Peter Dutton, and was announced at the LAND FORCES 2021 exposition in Brisbane on June 2.
The 25 vehicles are the first of 211 Boxer 8x8s on order for the Australian Army, of which 131 will be the CRV variant, and the delivery of the first 25 vehicles enables Army to proceed towards an Initial Operating Capability (IOC) on schedule.
Rheinmetall Defence Australia Managing Director Gary Stewart said the Boxer CRV’s levels of survivability and mobility was proving a game changer. “Boxer is now enabling the capabilities that allow Army to fight, survive and win on the modern, complex battlefields of today and tomorrow,” Stewart said in a June 2 statement. “And Rheinmetall is simultaneously delivering early combat vehicle capability to the ADF while creating a sovereign industrial capability in combat vehicle design and manufacture.”
Stewart said the initial vehicles were delivered from the company’s production lines in Germany, and that technology transfer activities will continue to ensure Australian workers and suppliers become familiar with manufacturing techniques for the vehicles.
“Australian engineers, project managers, welders, technicians, trainers and more are living and working with their colleagues in Germany to build a deep understanding of Rheinmetall products and, crucially, acquire the skills and certifications to transfer this expertise and intellectual property to Australia,” he said.
“This kick-starts the knowledge base for a sovereign Australian capability and is complemented with our engagement with the Australian TAFE sector and universities to ensure we build enduring pathways from our education institutions into the military vehicle manufacturing industry, enabling graduates to understand what we do today so they are ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.”