The first ever fully British-made Boxer armored vehicle has been unveiled at the International Armored Vehicle Conference in Farnborough.
In a press release on 21 January, the British government announced that a total of 623 of the new state-of-the-art Boxer armored vehicles will be available to British soldiers following the unveiling at the conference.
A breakthrough in British military technology
The armored vehicle unveiled today was made fully in the UK by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land in Telford in collaboration from KNDS UK Stockport and national supply chains.
According to the press release, the eight-by-eight wheel, all terrain, highly protected armoured fighting vehicle is meant to rapidly transport soldiers and mission systems to and around the battlefield.
Commenting on the unveiling, Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle MP, said:
“It was a pleasure to unveil the first fully British-made Boxer – a testament to the expertise and innovation of Britain’s growing Defence Industry. The home-grown production of this world-class vehicle exemplifies our Government’s Plan for Change, deepening our partnership with industry to deliver thousands of highly skilled jobs and drive growth across the UK.
The UK played a major role in the original design, development and testing of the Boxer, and the vehicle can be built and exported from the UK. While some initial production is underway in Germany, manufacture transfers to the UK.
This is in line with the government’s determination to increase local production of new vehicles. £5 billion is being invested in equipping the British Army with 623 Boxer armoured vehicles, with 148 Challenger 3 tanks, which will be deployed to the military by the end of 2030.
Safeguarding national security
Apart from being a breakthrough in British military engineering, the Boxer is also a huge step towards ensuring British national security.
Eagle further stated that Boxer and Challenger 3 are the launchpad for the British Army to be a more lethal fighting force.
Boxers can evolve over time, with more complex capabilities that make it adaptable for different battle scenarios.
