Login
iscover
The Australian government has signed a production contract with Rheinmetall Defence Australia for the production and delivery of over 100 Boxer heavy weapon carrier vehicles to Germany, further progressing the export deal signed in March.
To continue reading the rest of this article, please log in.
Create free account to get unlimited news articles and more!
Australia and Germany last month signed a bilateral agreement worth over $1 billion to the Australian economy, in which over 100 Australian-made Boxer Heavy Weapon Carrier vehicles will be exported to Germany.
The company has confirmed that it will produce 123 units of the Boxer, with over 100 of the batch bound for the Bundeswehr.
These vehicles are to be built at the Redbank, Queensland-based Rheinmetall Defence Australia Vehicle Centre of Excellence, creating over 600 jobs for the state and provide the defence supply chain a number of economic opportunities.
“This contract will supply our security partner, Germany, with one of the most advanced armoured vehicles in the world and supports Australia’s world-class defence industry, not only here in Queensland, but throughout the national supply chain,” Major General Jason Blain, head of land systems division, said.
“This contract signing signals the strength of the ongoing partnership between the Australian government and our nation’s defence industry, including Rheinmetall Defence Australia.
“Rheinmetall Defence Australia has strong, enduring partnerships with a large number of Australian companies skilled in the delivery of military vehicle capabilities.”
The first Australian-built Boxer Heavy Weapon Carrier vehicle is to be completed and delivered to the German government in 2026, with the last due in 2030.
Armin Papperger, Rheinmetall chief executive officer, welcomed the deepening cooperation between Australia and Germany.
"We appreciate to have been selected to supply the Heavy Weapon Carrier vehicles for an essential element of the German Army’s new force category, the ’medium forces’,” he said.
“We are integrating the expertise and capabilities of our Australian MILVEHCOE colleagues from our global Rheinmetall network to provide the German Army with the required combat vehicles as quickly as possible. This further deepens defence ties between Australia and Germany and enhances a sustained sovereign defence capability in Australia.
“We welcome the close partnership between Australia and Germany in strategic defence activities as the two nations work together to increase global security. The German Boxer program from Australia has been made possible by Rheinmetall’s long-term Australian investment in product development and advanced manufacturing."
