Horstman are delighted to be selected to provide a complex gearbox in support of the British Army’s Boxer Mechanised Infantry Vehicle programme, both for the UK and future exports. After a rigorous competition, Horstman was selected to ensure that the best value and lowest risk to the Boxer programme was taken forward. RENK, a German headquartered multi-national company, have invested significantly in the UK with the acquisition of Horstman in 2019. RENK have supported Horstman continued growth with recent investments and improvements in our machinery and an expanded apprenticeship programme. This £12M award continues theirs long heritage of providing combat mobility solutions in support of British and allied forces, and clearly demonstrates the company increased potential as a company of the RENK group.
While Horstman is well known for its armoured vehicle suspension systems, this Boxer award re-kindles a significant history in producing gearboxes in Bath for battle tank turrets, tactical 4×4’s and combat engineering vehicles. Notably, RENK has made all production Angular Gearboxes for the Boxer to date and as a parent company, RENK are fully supportive of all required technical support and investment into Horstman to ensure that the identical product is built in the UK at Horstman’s premises in Bath, following identical processes and procedures. RENK Test Systems are delivering the end of line test equipment to Horstman for the Boxer project. This low risk approach is coupled with Horstman’s AS9100 level quality accreditation to ensure the User receives a quality product.
The Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV) is the British Army’s concept of an 8 × 8 wheeled vehicle. On 31 March 2018 the United Kingdom rejoined the Boxer (armoured fighting vehicle) programme in order to move to an assessment phase, which may see the Boxer selected. On 31 March 2018 the British Army rejoined the Boxer programme. On 19 July 2018 via a voluntary transparency notice the UK MoD disclosed its intent to order between 400 and 600 Boxers in four variants plus driver training vehicles, reference vehicles and support. The contract will contain options to increase the quantity of vehicles by up to an additional 900. Figures remain as ‘over 500’ and with the first vehicles to be in-service by 2023.
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 nations participating in the Boxer program have changed as the program has developed. 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.
