Rheinmetall begins manufacture of Boxer armoured vehicle

Full-scale production has begun on the first locally made Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRVs) to be wholly built at Rheinmetall Defence Australia’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in Redbank, Ipswich, Queensland.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczukand other state leaders visited the advanced military vehicle manufacturing facility to mark start of production.

Rheinmetall, with the support of the Queensland Government, secured the $5.2 billion LAND 400 Phase 2 project to deliver 211 Boxer CRVs to the Australian Defence Force.

Australia and Germany recently announced talks are underway to manufacture and export the Queensland-made Boxer CRVs for the Germany Army.

This potential export opportunity demonstrates the world-class capabilities of Australia’s defence industry and will likely result in increased employment and a longer production skyline for Boxer CRVs at the MILVEHCOE.

Additionally, Rheinmetall has been shortlisted for the multi-billion-dollar LAND 400 Phase 3 project, and should it be successful, will deliver hundreds of Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicles from the MILVEHCOE.

Managing Director for Rheinmetall Defence Australia Nathan Poyner: “Rheinmetall has taken a long-term partnership approach to working in Australia, and we’re proud to be the largest provider of Military vehicles to the Australian Defence Force.

“We have an operational facility, the staff in place and we have established real sovereign capabilities including armour production and electronics manufacturing for the Australian Defence Force; all of which happens right here in Queensland.”

A vehicle known as Aussie Recon #1 is the first of 186 Boxer CRVs that will be built at MILVEHCOE.

In mid-October 2022, the Australian Army announced that the first 25 Boxer CRVs, partially manufactured in Germany, had achieved Initial Operating Capability following extensive testing and live exercises.

With the technology and skills transfer to Rheinmetall’s Australian workforce now complete, full-scale local production of the Boxer CRV at the MILVEHCOE got underway.

The MILVEHCOE has already created 600 jobs for Queenslanders at the facility with more through the local supply chain, and the facility will contribute more than $1 billion to Queensland’s economy over the life of the project.

Palaszczuk said: “This is a very proud day for Queensland’s defence manufacturing capabilities, as our association with Rheinmetall on the $5.2 billion LAND 400 Phase 2 project delivers locally built Boxer CRVs.

“Through the delivery of LAND 400 Phase 2 and its other projects, our partnership has already created 600 jobs at the Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence, which will be contributing more than $1 billion to the Queensland’s economy in its first 10 years of operation.”

Picture: Queensland government