Jackals for Germany and the Netherlands. German conglomerate as a subcontractor

In November 2025, the Netherlands concluded an agreement for 72 Boxer wheeled armoured personnel carriers in the infantry fighting vehicle variant equipped with the RCT30 turret. These vehicles are referred to as the Jackal Szakal). Simultaneously with the Netherlands, Germany decided to purchase 150 such vehicles. These acquisitions are being carried out under a joint framework agreement, under which Germany may purchase a further 200 and the Dutch a further 48 units.

Contract worth several hundred million euros

In the first half of August, both countries decided to sign a further call-off contract for 34 and 35 vehicles for the Netherlands and Germany respectively (69 in total). This, combined with the previous agreement, brought the total to 106 and 185 Jackals (291 out of a possible 470 vehicles). Their deliveries are scheduled to be completed between May 2032 and November 2033. ARTEC, the manufacturer, recently named the Rheinmetall concern as a subcontractor, which is a new development in the matter.

The order was placed through the OCCAR organisation; its value was specified at several hundred million euros. The Jackal’s main armament consists of the MK30-2/ABM autocannon, coupled with either a 5.56 mm MG4 machine gun or a 7.62 mm MG5 machine gun. MELLS anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) located in the turret are used to engage heavily armoured targets. The vehicle’s crew consists of three soldiers, while the dismount section numbers six people.

Consequently, 14 and 165 Jackals remain in the reserve pool respectively, the deliveries of which will likely be possible after 2030. Everything here will depend on orders from other countries and the success of the plan to significantly increase the production of Boxer wheeled armoured personnel carriers. The additional vehicles for the Netherlands mean that the total number of Boxers in the Dutch army will reach 306 units (a fleet of 200 of them will undergo modernisation).

”The activation of additional options for the Jackal vehicles confirms our customers« confidence in this modern system,” said Dr Björn Bernhard, Head of Rheinmetall’s Vehicle Systems Division.

Boxer wheeled armoured personnel carrier

The Boxer is a German-Dutch 8x8 wheeled armoured personnel carrier developed and produced by the ARTEC GmbH consortium, which includes the KMW and Rheinmetall concerns. The main armament in the APC variant consists of a 40 mm GMG automatic grenade launcher, a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun, or a 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun placed in a remote weapon station or on a ring mount. In the case of the infantry fighting vehicle or combat reconnaissance/cavalry variant, the main armament is housed in the Lance turret system. This can consist of a 30 mm or 35 mm autocannon.

The power unit is an MTU 8V 199 TE20 diesel engine producing 710–805 hp depending on the version. It allows the vehicle to accelerate to 103 km/h with an operational range of up to 1,100 km. Due to its modular design, the Boxer can be adapted into a command vehicle, medical evacuation vehicle, or infantry fighting vehicle variant. Boxers (in various versions) are currently in service with the armies of countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Australia, Algeria, and the United Kingdom.