Rheinmetall begins full-scale production of Queensland made Boxer CRVs
Queensland’s defence manufacturing capabilities reached a new milestone as full-scale production commenced on the first wholly locally made Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRVs) at Rheinmetall Defence Australia’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in Redbank, Ipswich. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Deputy Premier Steven Miles, and Member for Bundamba Lance McCallum today marked the start of production with a visit to the advanced military vehicle manufacturing facility in Ipswich.
Rheinmetall, with the support of the Queensland Government, secured the $5.2 billion LAND 400 Phase 2 project to deliver 211 Boxer CRVs to the Australian Defence Force. The Premier highlighted the significance of the project, stating that “This is a very proud day for Queensland’s defence manufacturing capabilities, as our association with Rheinmetall on the $5.2 billion LAND 400 Phase 2 project delivers locally built Boxer CRVs.”
In October 2022, the Australian Army announced that the first 25 Boxer CRVs, partially manufactured in Germany, had achieved Initial Operating Capability following extensive testing and live exercises. With the technology and skills transfer now complete, full-scale local production of the Boxer CRV at the MILVEHCOE can now commence.
The MILVEHCOE has already created 600 jobs for Queenslanders at the facility, with more through the local supply chain, and is expected to contribute more than $1 billion to Queensland’s economy over the project’s lifespan. The successful development of the Boxer CRV in Australia has also resulted in an exciting potential export opportunity, with talks underway between Australia and Germany for the manufacturing and export of the Queensland-made Boxer CRVs for the German Army. This could lead to increased employment and a longer production skyline for Boxer CRVs at the MILVEHCOE.
Furthermore, Rheinmetall has been shortlisted for the LAND 400 Phase 3 project, which could result in the delivery of hundreds of Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicles from the MILVEHCOE if successful. The success of the Boxer CRV project is a testament to Australia’s world-class defence industry capabilities and highlights the significant contributions it can make to the local and global defence industry.
