Germany and Netherlands Order 69 More Boxer RCT30 IFVs, Lifting Joint Program to 291

Germany and the Netherlands have ordered 69 additional Boxer RCT30 wheeled infantry fighting vehicles, expanding their joint procurement program to 291 systems and reinforcing the wheeled combat capability at the core of Berlin's new "Medium Forces."

The order was placed through ARTEC, the joint venture between KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall, with the European procurement agency OCCAR acting as contracting authority. It exercises an option under the contract concluded in 2025 for 222 vehicles — a deal worth €4.7 billion ($5.4 billion) at the time, according to Breaking Defense. The Bundeswehr, which had already ordered 150 Boxer RCT30s, will receive 35 additional vehicles, while the Royal Netherlands Army adds 34, bringing its planned fleet to 106.

For KNDS, the follow-on order is a demonstration of what joint European procurement can deliver. "This demonstrates what European cooperation can achieve," Florian Hohenwarter, CEO of KNDS Deutschland, said in a statement. "Joint procurement of a system and the resulting higher production volumes not only enable faster deliveries. It also has a direct, positive impact on training and logistics and guarantees interoperability between the armed forces."

OCCAR said the combined new investment in the Boxer program over the past 12 months totals close to €6.5 billion, underscoring the pace at which European land forces are rebuilding their armored fleets.

The Schakal: 8x8 chassis, Puma turret

The Boxer RCT30 combines the proven Boxer 8x8 chassis — already in service with seven nations — with the remote-controlled 30 mm turret developed for the Puma tracked infantry fighting vehicle. The combination lets the vehicle engage moving targets even while on the move, KNDS said.

Equipped with the integrated MELLS multi-role guided missile system, the RCT30 can take on main battle tanks. The Bundeswehr, which designates the vehicle "Schakal," also highlights its ability to counter drones and aircraft — a capability that has moved to the center of modern mechanized warfare.

With a dismount capacity of six soldiers, the Schakal is the primary weapon system for mechanized infantry in Germany's Medium Forces: highly mobile, wheeled formations designed to operate between heavy armored units and light infantry. The concept fits Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ambition to transform the Bundeswehr into the strongest conventional army in Europe, as Breaking Defense noted.

KNDS said the Boxer RCT30 is now under contract with four nations. The German program also supports a broad industrial chain — in early 2026, sensor specialist Hensoldt received a contract worth around €290 million to equip Schakal vehicles with 288 digital optronics sets.

The new order extends a procurement pipeline that has become one of Europe's most visible examples of two armies buying, training and maintaining a single weapon system together. With both Germany and the Netherlands expanding their wheeled mechanized fleets in parallel, the Boxer RCT30 is moving from a niche product to a backbone platform for European land defense.

Germany and Netherlands Order 69 More Boxer RCT30 IFVs, Lifting Joint Program to 291

The Schakal: 8x8 chassis, Puma turret

Sources