Germany Eyes Major Order of Armored Vehicles for Ukraine

Germany's armed forces are considering ordering 100 Boxer armored vehicles from KNDS for Ukraine. The first batch of 80 vehicles could exceed 2 billion euros and will be financed from a special defense fund. The German parliament may vote on this deal in the last quarter of the year.

Germany's armed forces are in advanced discussions to acquire roughly 100 Boxer armored vehicles from the German-French defense contractor KNDS, sources told news magazine Spiegel on Friday. The initial batch of 80 vehicles is projected to cost over 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion), financed by a special 100-billion-euro military fund established after Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

According to a KNDS spokesperson, no contract has been finalized yet, and they declined to provide further comments. Spiegel's report suggests that the likely order will include 80 wheeled self-propelled RCH155 howitzers, with the German parliament expected to vote on the matter in the fourth quarter of the year.

In response to media inquiries, the German defense ministry confirmed it had issued a tender invitation to KNDS for the Boxer and RCH155 models but did not elaborate on the potential deal. Boxer vehicles, known for their mobility compared to tracked tanks, are part of a broader framework that could see over 300 units ordered, benefiting NATO allies like Britain.