The final series production vehicle of the Lithuania BOXER (VILKAS) order successfully passed its Live Fire Testing on 24 February 2024. This was an important milestone, marking the last step of the handover procedure for this vehicle and thus concludes the acceptance of the Batch 1 series production vehicles. In total, the OCCAR BOXER Programme has delivered 91 BOXER vehicles in 4 different variants to the Lithuanian customer, who is now the first nation to have a BOXER with a 30mm gun. The introduction of this global, state-of-the-art Infantry Fighting Vehicle is the result of significant collaborative effort from all parties involved particularly due to the supply chain challenges faced over the last 24 months. Upon completion of the project, the two battalions of the Iron Wolf Brigade of the Lithuanian Armed Forces have been fully equipped with BOXERS (VILKAS).
“Today the combat capability of the brigade Iron Wolf reinforced with vehicles Boxers meets the highest NATO standards and is of great significance for Lithuania’s security”, Lithuanian Minister of National Defence, Mr. Arvydas Anušauskas said.
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.Other names in use or previously used for Boxer are GTK (Gepanzertes Transport-Kraftfahrzeug; armoured transport vehicle) Boxer and MRAV (Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle). Confirmed Boxer customers as of January 2024 are Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Australia and the UK.
89 of 91 Lithuanian Vilkas/Wolf will be fitted with the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Samson Mk II RCT turret mounting a fully stabilised Orbital ATK Mk 44S 30 mm dual-feed cannon, 7.62 mm co-axial MG, and Spike-LR missiles. A range of turret options were bid including the unmanned Lance turret from the PSM Puma IFV, however the selected vehicle mounts the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Samson Mk II RCT armed with a 30 mm cannon, 7.62 mm co-axial MG, and Spike-LR missiles. Lithuania will receive four variants of the IFV, 55 IFV squad leader, 18 IFV platoon leader; 12 IFV company leader; 4 IFV command post. Variants vary by mission fit primarily in the areas of additional voice and data communication equipment as well as modified BMS. Two driver training vehicles are also included in the Lithuanian order.
