Qatar receives first Boxer RCT30 infantry fighting vehicles from Germany.

KNDS Deutschland delivered the first Boxer RCT30 infantry fighting vehicles to the Qatar Emiri Land Forces on December 3, 2025.

On December 3, 2025, KNDS Deutschland delivered the first Boxer RCT30 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to Qatar, marking the start of fleet introduction for the new configuration. The Boxers will be assigned to Qatar's mechanized units, which already operate 62 Leopard 2A7+ tanks, 24 PzH 2000 howitzers, 14 Dingo 2 MRAP vehicles, and 6 Wisent 2 armored recovery vehicles. Officials familiar with the program noted that the Boxer RCT30 had previously been presented with counter-drone features at DIMDEX 2024 in Doha.
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The Boxer RCT30 IFV combines the Boxer 8×8 chassis with the RCT30 remote-controlled turret, the same used on the German Puma infantry fighting vehicle. (Picture source: X/Nicholas Drummond)

During the DIMDEX 2024 exhibition in Doha, held from March 4 to March 6, Qatar displayed a Boxer RCT30 equipped with a passive radio frequency sensor, and a Qatari general stated that ten of these vehicles will be delivered to the Qatar Emiri Land Forces (QELF). According to KNDS personnel present at the exhibition, this sensor detects the emissions of commercial drones operating in the vicinity and identifies their location. The positional data generated by the sensor is then transferred to the RCT30 fire control system, so the turret can adjust its aim for aerial engagements using the 30 mm programmable air burst ammunition. In addition to the RF sensor, the system incorporates an automatic detection function using software that analyzes the feed from the turret’s electro-optical cameras to locate drones that may not be visible to the crew. This provides the Boxer with two independent detection pathways for identifying small aerial threats.

The Boxer RCT30 is a variant of the Boxer armored vehicle that combines its 8×8 chassis with the RCT30 remote-controlled turret, the same used on the German Puma infantry fighting vehicle. The RCT30 is a fully stabilized, unmanned medium caliber turret equipped with the MK30-2 30 mm cannon that uses a dual-feed mechanism to switch between ammunition types without interruption. The cannon has a cyclic rate of approximately 200 rounds per minute and fires 30×173 mm ammunition, including armor-piercing, high-explosive, and air-burst programmable (ABM) types. Elevation angles typically range from around minus 10 degrees to plus 45 degrees, enabling ground support roles and low altitude aerial engagements depending on integration.

The turret rotates through a full 360 degrees using an electric drive system designed for continuous traverse while the host vehicle is moving. Ammunition storage for the turret is housed inside an armored compartment with around 200 ready rounds, depending on configuration, separated from the crew. Weapon control uses electrically driven components instead of recoil-driven loading, for consistent operation in varying environmental conditions. The cannon also uses an inductive programming system, placed at the barrel interface, to set a detonation timing for air burst rounds. The turret itself is built around armored housings that protect the weapon cradle, drive modules, sensors, and ammunition container from fragments and small-caliber fire.

The Boxer RCT30 IFV is based on the standard Boxer 8×8 drive module, which uses a protected steel hull combined with modular armor and a specific mission module. Depending on configuration, the Boxer drive module for IFV variants reaches a combat weight approaching 36.5 to 38.5 tonnes, supported by an independent double-wishbone suspension system designed for high mobility over varied terrain. The vehicle is powered by an MTU 8V199 diesel engine delivering between 530 kW and 600 kW, depending on A2 or A3 drive module integration, paired with an automatic transmission providing multiple forward and reverse gears to maintain speed across off-road surfaces.

Maximum road speed typically reaches more than 100 km per hour on the lighter configurations, while operational range can exceed 650 km depending on mission weight. The 8×8 driveline includes differential locks on all axles and steering on the first two axles, allowing a reduced turning radius for an armored vehicle of its size. Ground clearance varies depending on configuration, but remains sufficient for obstacle negotiation, such as trenches and vertical steps. The platform is equipped with central tire inflation, run-flat inserts, and pneumatic braking with anti-lock control to manage movement under load. Fuel capacity distributed across multiple tanks ensures continued operation following partial damage to the system.

The Boxer platform was developed as part of a larger multinational program based on a protected 8×8 wheeled chassis divided into a drive module and interchangeable mission modules that can be swapped relatively quickly. Production of the Boxer is performed by ARTEC GmbH, whose parent companies are KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall Land Systeme in Germany, with additional industrial contributions from Rheinmetall Defence Nederland and manufacturing lines in Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The Boxer drive module has evolved through A0, A1, A2, A3, B0, and C0 configurations, with differences in engine output, weight limits, suspension upgrades, and compatibility with heavier mission modules, for tasks such as command post, ambulance, cargo, driver training, repair, joint fire support, reconnaissance, mortar carrier, howitzer, and air defense modules. Each Boxer mission module is designed to be attached or removed using four connection points (later increased to six in newer drive modules) and can be replaced within a short timeframe. Within this global program, national IFV variants have become more prominent, such as the Ukrainian AiTO30 FDC, the Australian Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle, the Lithuanian Vilkas, or the German sWaTrgInf Heavy Weapons Carrier.

In Germany, the Bundeswehr has identified a requirement for 148 Boxer vehicles equipped with turreted IFV configurations for its new medium brigades, and the RCT30 has been reported as the preferred option because it allows transport of a full infantry squad while maintaining the turret characteristics of the Puma. The Netherlands confirmed on September 17, 2024, that its 13th Light Brigade would also receive Boxer RCT30 IFVs, with 72 units planned and an option for 48 additional vehicles. Ukraine has received nine Boxer RCT30-equipped vehicles designated AiTO30 FDC for counter-drone protection of artillery units, confirming that the turret can support multiple missions beyond standard infantry operations. These programs share the same technical requirements: an unmanned stabilized turret, a 30 mm cannon, a coaxial machine gun, integrated electro-optical sights, and fire control systems compatible with programmable ammunition. This means that Qatar may benefit from common logistical pathways for maintenance, ammunition procurement, and software updates for fire control systems.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.