The German Army’s heavy weapon carrier will be based on Austrialia’s Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle, pictured with Australian Army soldiers during Exercise ‘Chong Ju’ at the Puckapunyal training area, Victoria, on 16 May 2018. (Australian MoD)

The German Army’s share of the EUR100 million (USD109 million) Zeitenwende special fund, approved after Russia invaded Ukraine, focuses on armoured vehicles, Janes learnt at Defence iQ’s International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2023 conference held in London on 23–26 January.

The Bundeswehr plans to equip three new medium brigades with the heavy weapon carrier (HWC) version of the Boxer armoured vehicle in 2025–30. Based on Australia’s Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle, the HWC will replace the Marder infantry fighting vehicle.

The German Army also intends to procure an airborne weapons carrier in the 2030s to replace the Wiesel. One of the new carriers would fit inside the Luftwaffe’s future CH-47 heavy transport helicopter, compared with two Wiesels in the current CH-53G.