On October 17, 2025, the governments of Germany and the Netherlands, through the European Armaments Agency OCCAR, signed a contract with ARTEC GmbH (a joint venture of the Rheinmetall group and the German branch of KNDS Deutschland of the KNDS association) for the development and supply of 222 wheeled armored personnel carriers (actually wheeled infantry fighting vehicles) Schakal, representing a new version of the famous GTK Boxer (8x8) armored personnel carrier.). The total value of the contract is 4.5 billion euros. Of these, 150 Schakal units with a total contract value of 3.41 billion euros are intended for the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). In addition, the contract provides for the supply to Germany of 48 more Boxer vehicles in training and medical variants, as well as modernization kits for 72 Boxer armored personnel carrier vehicles previously supplied to the Bundeswehr. Another 72 Schakal vehicles with a total cost of 1.1 billion euros are to be delivered to the Dutch armed forces. The contract also provides for an option to supply up to 248 additional Schakal machines (200 for Germany and 48 for the Netherlands).
Prototype of the Schakal wheeled armored personnel carrier (wheeled infantry fighting vehicle), ordered for the armed forces of Germany and the Netherlands (c) KNDS Deutschland
Jointly developed to meet the requirements of the German and Dutch armies, the Schakal (8x8) armored personnel carrier (wheeled infantry fighting vehicle - official German name Radschützenpanzern) is a variant of the Boxer armored personnel carrier equipped with an uninhabited modified RCT30 turret mounted on German tracked Puma infantry fighting vehicles, also jointly produced by Rheinmetall and KNDS Deutschland (as part of the joint venture Projekt System Management GmbH). Therefore, at the development stage, Schakal was designated as PuBo (short for Puma Boxer). Delivery of the first production Schakal machines to the Bundeswehr is scheduled for the end of 2027, and deliveries of the rest are scheduled for the period up to mid-2031. Delivery of the first Dutch machines is expected no earlier than the end of 2028.
Earlier it was also reported that nine vehicles similar to the Schakal (with an uninhabited modified RCT30 turret), but in the performance of command and staff vehicles, are supposed to be supplied to Ukraine as battery control vehicles for the planned delivery to Ukraine of 54 self-propelled howitzers RCH 155 caliber 155 mm/52 on the Boxer APC chassis.
Schakal should be made on a modified Boxer APC chassis, designated Future Common Drive Module B0 and developed according to the requirements of the British Army. This chassis has a maximum weight increased to 40 tons, while it is reported that the combat weight of the Schakal will be 38.5 tons. The case will be equipped with a 6-point mounting system for special modules, instead of the 4-point mounting system currently used on Boxer machines of the Bundeswehr. This chassis is also designed to install various types of MTU engines - both the "classic" MTU 8V 199 TE20 diesel engine with a capacity of 530 kW for the Boxer, and the MTU 8V 199 TS21 diesel engine with a capacity of 600 kW, developed for the British version of the Boxer. At the same time, the possibility of replacing the TE20 engine with the TS21 in the field or vice versa is declared.
The Schakal should accommodate three crew members and six landing personnel. The troop compartment of the vehicle is approximately the same as the Puma infantry fighting vehicle and is also adapted to use the German IdZ-ES digital infantry equipment, but has a higher height. One of the landing seats is equipped with a bio toilet (another borrowing from the British version of Boxer).
The modified RCT30 uninhabited turret combat module from the S1 Puma infantry fighting vehicle, manufactured by KNDS Deutschland (formerly Krauss-Maffei Wegmann), is equipped with a Rheinmetall MK30-2/ABM 30 mm automatic cannon, which will be capable of using modified programmable shots to combat UAVs. A launcher with two MELLS anti-tank guided missiles (Rafael/EuroSpike Spike LR/Spike LR2) is located on the left side of the combat module. An Optronic Digital Waffenstation (WAO) panoramic electron-optical station is installed on the tower. Schakal will also be equipped with an upgraded MUSS 2.0 passive protection and jamming system (the first version of MUSS is used on the Puma infantry fighting vehicle), an acoustic enemy fire detection system and an all-round viewing system.
In the Bundeswehr, the Schakal APC should form the basis for equipping the so-called "medium forces" (Mittlere Kräfte) being formed. On April 1, 2023, the first formation of the "medium forces" of the German army was the reorganized 21st Tank Brigade (Panzerbrigade 21 "Lipperland") of the 1st Panzer Division in Augustdorf. After the reorganization, the brigade includes three jaeger battalions (equipped with Boxer armored personnel carriers) and a reconnaissance battalion, as well as an artillery battalion. The Schakal APC is to join two battalions of the 41st Motorized Infantry Brigade (Panzergrenadierbrigade 41 "Vorpommern"), which is planned to be reorganized in 2027. the same 1st Panzer Division in Neubrandenburg. According to the plans of 2023, in the future, each brigade of the "medium forces" was supposed to have a motorized infantry battalion (on a Schakal APC), two jaeger battalions, a reconnaissance battalion, an artillery battalion, an engineering battalion and a support battalion, but it is unclear whether these plans have been preserved in structure.
Schakal became the second version of the Boxer armored personnel carrier in the German army with a 30 mm cannon. Earlier in 2024, 123 Boxer vehicles were ordered for the Bundeswehr, designed by the Schwerer Waffenträger Infanterie infantry fire support vehicle (sWaTrInf), equipped with a Rheinmetall Lance 2 Block II manned combat module, also with a Rheinmetall MK 30-2/ABM 30 mm automatic cannon and MELLS ATGM. A remote-controlled combat module with a machine gun is carefully installed on the turret. At the same time, the sWaTrInf does not regularly carry troops. In fact, the sWaTrInf is a variation of the Boxer CRV combat reconnaissance vehicle, previously developed by Rheinmetall for the Australian army, and the production of the sWaTrInf for the Bundeswehr will also be conducted in Australia, with serial deliveries starting at the end of 2025. The sWaTrInf vehicles were ordered to replace the Wiesel 1 light tracked armored vehicles as weapons carriers in five deployed jaeger battalions (including the "medium forces") and one mountain Jaeger battalion of the German army. Each of these battalions is expected to include a company consisting of 12 sWaTrInf vehicles, and several more such vehicles under the battalion's control.
Prototype of the Schakal wheeled armored personnel carrier (wheeled infantry fighting vehicle), ordered for the armed forces of Germany and the Netherlands (c) KNDS Deutschland
