The army cannot temporarily not use part of the Boxer type of Boxer type. In seventy of the two hundred vehicles, a defect was discovered in a bolt of the wheel suspension. “The Royal Netherlands Army has therefore decided not to use the boxers,” confirms a spokeswoman for the ministry.
According to her, a wrong machine was used to turn the bolt. As a result, the bolt is tightened with too much pressure. The defect has not led to accidents with the armored wheel vehicle that is mainly used in the 43 mechanized brigade in Havelte, but also with a few combat support units of the operational support command country.
The hope is that the problem is solved in a “few weeks”. Defense heard about the supplier’s problem and takes the vehicles preventively from the road. “The recognized problem is resolved together with the industry as quickly as possible, which guarantees safe employability,” said the spokeswoman. The vehicles will be repaired from Monday on the barracks of Havelte and Oirschot.
The army has five versions of the boxer. The vehicle is used as a command post, ambulance, freight vehicle, teaching vehicle and at the genius (the contractor of Defense). The first boxer was put into use in 2013. Last September the Ministry announced that it will purchase 72 extra boxers with heavier guns and anti -tank agents.