German defense manufacturers have begun implementing an ambitious plan to supply the Bundeswehr with approximately 2,500 Boxer vehicles in various configurations.
In late October 2025, Berlin officially announced a contract for 222 Schakal infantry fighting vehicles, produced by ARTEC, where Rheinmetall holds a 64% stake and KNDS Deutschland 36%.
Read more: UK Gave Ukraine All Its SPGs But Still Can't Decide When to Buy Replacements Maybe by 2030
The procurement is being carried out through a joint acquisition mechanism via the European defense agency OCCAR: Germany is set to receive 150 vehicles, while 72 are destined for the Netherlands. Delivery of the first vehicle is scheduled for 2027.
The total value of the contract stands at €4.7 billion, with nearly €3.4 billion allocated to Rheinmetall. The deal includes additional equipment such as counter-UAV protection systems, defenses against handheld anti-tank weapons, and acoustic/optical systems capable of identifying the direction of incoming enemy fire. Spare parts, tools, logistics, and training are also included.
This places the cost of a single Schakal IFV at €21.17 million — a figure that naturally prompts the question: what exactly does the Schakal offer for this price?
Fundamentally, the Schakal is the Boxer RCT 30, combining two already serially produced components: the turret from the tracked Puma IFV and the wheeled Boxer chassis. It represents just one of many possible Boxer variants.
The Schakal is a 38.5-ton combat vehicle measuring 7.93 meters in length and 2.99 meters in height. Mobility is provided by the MTU V8 199TE20/21 engine, which produces 816 hp, giving the vehicle a range of over 1,000 km and a top speed exceeding 100 km/h.
Its primary armament is the 30 mm MK30-2/ABM automatic cannon with a programmable ammunition system. This allows not only effective engagement of enemy personnel in cover but also limited counter-drone capabilities. The turret elevation angle is up to +45° (with a −10° depression). The cannon is paired with a 7.62 mm MG5 machine gun. The vehicle's standard ATGM is the Spike LR, capable of engaging targets at distances of up to 5.5 km.
The Schakal can transport up to seven infantry soldiers in the rear compartment and is operated by a crew of three. The protected internal volume totals 14 m³. The vehicle can be fitted with add-on armor, an active protection system, electronic warfare equipment, laser-warning sensors, and other systems depending on customer requirements.
The current Schakal configuration also appears to differ from the original Boxer RCT 30 through the addition of a commander's panoramic sight mounted above the primary gunner's sight. However, since the Boxer platform is fundamentally modular, the final configuration of the Schakal will only become clear once the first production vehicles are delivered.
Read more: From Disaster to Deployment: Britain's Ajax Program Takes a Hesitant Step Forward
