The Bundeswehr already intends to at least partially exercise the options included in the October 2025 order for 150 BOXER SCHAKAL, the IFV variant of the 8x8, equipped with uncrewed 30 mm gun turret.
The October 2025 award to Rheinmetall, signed jointly by Germany and the Netherlands, ordered 222 vehicles in total, of which 150 for the Bundeswehr and 72 for the Netherlands. Options were included covering up to 248 additional vehicles, 200 of which for Germany. The Bundeswehr is now already requiring 35 of those, with the paper expected to make it to Parliament before Summer recess begins.
The pricetag is indicated in 650 million Euro, with delivery expected in 2032 – 2033, following naturally after the deliveries of the vehicles already on order. The first SCHAKAL for Germany is due for hand over by the end of 2027, with deliveries continuing into 2031. It should be remembered that under the so-called ARMINIUS programme, Germany is looking at the procurement of several thousand BOXERs, so this first option should actually soon be eclipsed by far larger orders.
The Netherlands are also expected to formalize soon an additional order. Deliveries of the IFVs already on order for the Netherlands are thought to be due from the end of 2028.
The Bundeswehr is also imminently to receive the go ahead for acquiring 23 new BUFFALO A2 recovery tanks from Rheinmetall, which will replace a similar number of vehicles supplied to Ukraine in 2022. It is expected that the cost will be in the region of 360 million Euro, with deliveries beginning in May 2028. The Budget Committee has scheduled the approval of the acquisition for the week beginning June 8.
It should be noted that a follow on, much larger procurement effort is also expected to replace the remaining, obsolescent BERGEPANZER 2s. A requirement for “more than 100” modern recovery tanks has been formulated.
The German Army should also receive the first 2 new KODIAK breacher-pioneer tanks later this summer, as part of a program for 44 such vehicles that has suffered some delay. When the contract was awarded to Rheinmetall in 2021, the first 5 series-production KODIAK should have been delivered in 2026, with 14 in 2027, 17 in 2028 and the final 6 in 2029. Now, with trials not starting before around August, the timelines can be expected to shift.
The procurement of the new breachers has been in the works since all the way back in 2019, when 44 LEOPARD 2A4 hulls were set aside for the project and a competitive assessment looked at proposals from both Rheinmetall and FFG. Delays of about 2-3 years have already accrued in comparison to early timeline ambitions.
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