John Cockerill Unveils Boxer 8×8 Armored Vehicle with Cockerill 3105 Turret

John Cockerill, formerly Cockerill Maintenance & Ingénierie (CMI) unveils the latest version of 8×8 wheeled fire support vehicle (FSV) based on a Boxer armored vehicle fitted with a Cockerill Defense 3105 (Cockerill 3000 Series) turret armed with one 105mm NATO-standard tank gun. Based on an unprecedented modular concept, the Cockerill 3000 Series is a single platform enabling guns of different calibers and their corresponding technological modules to be integrated onto the same turret: automatic 25 mm, 30 mm, 30/40 mm, 35 mm and 50 mm caliber guns, along with direct fire guns of 90 and 105 mm, which are also able to fire anti-tank missiles.

The John Cockerill Defence 3105 turret could be easily integrated into a standard Boxer mission module. Firepower is provided by a turret integrated with a high-pressure 105-millimeter gun and an advanced autoloader. There would be plenty of space in the rear of the vehicle for storage of additional ammunition and crew equipment. With a front-mounted engine, the crew could escape through the rear of the vehicle if it were hit. The turret weighs 6-8 tonnes, depending on the level of protection fitted. Since the crew sits almost below the turret ring, it would not need significant up-armouring. This option makes the most of Boxer’s modular mission module approach, allowing units to configured according to mission.

The Boxer is a multirole armoured fighting vehicle designed by an international consortium to accomplish a number of operations through the use of installable mission modules. The Boxer vehicle is produced by the ARTEC GmbH (armoured vehicle technology) industrial group, and the programme is being managed by OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation). ARTEC GmbH is based in Munich; its parent companies are Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH and Rheinmetall Military Vehicles GmbH on the German side, and Rheinmetall Defence Nederland B.V. for the Netherlands. Overall, Rheinmetall has a 64% stake in the joint venture.

A distinctive and unique feature of the vehicle is its composition of a drive platform module and interchangeable mission modules which allow several configurations to meet different operational requirements. The mission module is a key (and unique) feature of Boxer, it allows the vehicle to be rapidly changed to meet different operational requirements. Boxer mission modules are pod-like units that are fitted to drive modules to form a complete mission variant vehicle. Mission modules are attached by four points and can be swapped within an hour under field conditions. The driver can access his compartment through the mission module or in an emergency via the large single-piece power-operated hatch above this position.