Ukraine may receive Boxer infantry fighting vehicle in the near future
Ukraine is likely to receive a Boxer wheeled infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) equipped with a 30mm cannon combat module from the German company KNDS.
Here's What We Know
During the ceremony of handing over the first RCH-155 wheeled howitzer to Ukraine, which took place in Kassel, KNDS Germany CEO Ralf Ketzel announced the possibility of supplying the Boxer infantry fighting vehicle. Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Oleksiy Makeyev also clarified that the RCH-155 wheeled howitzer will be the first combat vehicle of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to be built on the Boxer platform.
In addition, Ukraine will receive a system called the Kommandobegleitfahrzeug ("command escort vehicle"), which will also be equipped with a 30mm automatic cannon.
Details on the number of vehicles, their configuration, and delivery dates remain unknown.
According to Hartpunkt, these vehicles are likely to be equipped with the RCT30 remote-controlled combat module, which is also installed on Puma infantry fighting vehicles. The RCT30 module combines an unmanned turret from KNDS Germany and the Boxer control module from ARTEC, a joint venture between Rheinmetall and KNDS Germany.
The Boxer infantry fighting vehicle. Illustration: BILD
The main weapon is the MK 30-2/ABM 30×173 mm stabilised automatic gun from Rheinmetall, which provides accurate engagement of moving targets both from a standstill and on the move. In short, the German army plans to purchase about 150 of these systems, while the Netherlands plans to purchase 72.
The vehicle has a landing compartment that can accommodate up to six fully equipped infantrymen. However, the name Kommandobegleitfahrzeug indicates that these combat vehicles can be used not as classic armoured personnel carriers, but to protect the RCH-155 self-propelled howitzers from drones.
Thanks to programmable ammunition and a powerful sensor suite, the RCT30 system can effectively destroy drones. This was successfully demonstrated during tests in the spring of 2024.
The system provides a 360° all-round view in all weather conditions. Machine vision-based software automatically detects, captures and determines the distance to targets, leaving the operator to fire the shot.
It is also possible that Ukraine could receive Skyranger 30 air defence systems based on Boxer, similar to those ordered by the German army. However, due to production delays, the delivery of such vehicles to Germany is expected only in 2028.
Source: Hartpuntk
