Login
iscover
The British Army’s armoured vehicle fleet will be expanded as part of a revised joint UK-Germany production agreement.
To continue reading the rest of this article, please log in.
Create free account to get unlimited news articles and more!
The UK’s Ministry of Defence has announced an additional 100 Boxer armoured vehicles would be delivered to the British Army, expanding the total size of the fleet to 623.
This forms part of an expanded joint UK-Germany production partnership, which involves Boxer manufacturing in Telford, Stockport and Munich.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the program boost would further strengthen defence ties between the UK and Germany amid mounting tensions in the region.
“In these difficult times, our deep defence partnership offers reassurance to our people and the wider world, while also ensuring we are ready to respond to new threats,” he said.
“This joint program will ensure our militaries have state-of-the-art equipment as the invasion of Ukraine shakes the very foundations of European peace and security.”
The UK has already commenced production of the armoured vehicles, with the first 117 Boxers being built in Germany while UK facilities in Telford and Stockport prepare for the manufacture of the remaining 506 vehicles.
According to the UK MOD, the Boxer vehicles are scheduled to be delivered to Army units from 2023.
The overall £2.8 billion (AU$4.8 billion) program, which is tipped to support up to 1,000 jobs across the UK, forms part of the Integrated Review, which aimed to inform the government’s defence procurement strategy.
“This is a significant announcement for the Army in enhancing this key capability under the Integrated Review,” Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Sir Christopher Tickell KBE said.
“Boxer will form the core of our modernised Armoured Brigade Combat Teams and it is great news for our service personnel getting more of these excellent platforms as part of delivering Future Soldier, whilst investing in the UK’s defence industry and supply chains.”
The prime contractor for the local element of the UK Boxer program is WFEL, which has onboarded the services of a number of firms.
Last month, WFEL commenced a 10-year long partnership with Nasmyth Group for the production of machined and fabricated components for the Boxers.
The Boxer mechanised infantry vehicle is billed as a mobile and wheeled armoured combat vehicle, designed to undertake multi-terrain deployments amid a range of tasks such as infantry transportation and moving mobile medical facilities.
[Related: Nasmyth Group joins WFEL-led UK Boxer armoured vehicle program]
