ARTEC has been commissioned by OCCAR to supply 69 additional Boxer RCT30 infantry fighting vehicles for German and Dutch armed forces.
~
KNDS Press Release, Munich, 07 August 2026: ARTEC, a joint venture between KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall, has been commissioned by the procurement agency OCCAR* to procure a total of 69 additional RCT30 wheeled infantry fighting vehicles for the German and Dutch armed forces.
This is the exercise of the option under the contract concluded in 2025 for 222 systems. The German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), which had ordered 150 BOXER RCT30 vehicles, will now receive an additional 35 vehicles. With the additional 34 systems, the Royal Netherlands Army will have a total of 106 wheeled infantry fighting vehicles.
“For decades, we have been a proud partner of the Dutch Army. Whether it is the LEOPARD 2 or the BOXER-System, to name just the most recent procurement programmes that Germany and the Netherlands have carried out together. This demonstrates what European cooperation can achieve. 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. KNDS, as a European company, stands for exactly this,” said Florian Hohenwarter, CEO of KNDS Deutschland.
The BOXER RCT30, developed by KNDS, will form the backbone of the new ‘Medium Forces’. The combination of the proven BOXER, already in service with seven nations, and the 30mm turret from the PUMA infantry fighting vehicle enables the engagement of moving targets, even while on the move. In addition, the new wheeled infantry fighting vehicle, designated ‘Schakal’ by the Bundeswehr, is capable of countering drones and aircraft. Equipped with the integrated MELLS anti-tank system, a lightweight, multi-role guided missile system, the BOXER RCT30 can also successfully engage main battle tanks. With a dismount capacity of six soldiers, the ‘Schakal’ is the primary weapon system of the mechanised infantry in the ‘Medium Forces’. With Germany and the Netherlands joining as new user nations, the BOXER RCT30 is now under contract with four nations.
* OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation) is an international organisation that facilitates and manages cooperative defence equipment programmes throughout their entire life cycle on behalf of its participating states. Acting as the contracting authority for the programmes under its management, OCCAR oversees the development, acquisition, delivery and in-service support of a broad portfolio of multinational defence programmes. OCCAR’s current member states are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.
~
