Rolls-Royce has secured orders to supply 350 mtu Series 199 diesel engines for Boxer armored wheeled vehicles destined for the German Armed Forces and additional international customers. The orders were placed by Rheinmetall and KNDS Deutschland, reinforcing the mtu 199 engine family as the standard powerplant for the widely deployed Boxer platform.
The engines to be delivered are 8-cylinder mtu 8V199 units, offering power outputs of 530 kilowatts (710 horsepower) and 600 kilowatts (805 horsepower), depending on vehicle configuration. Deliveries will support the rollout of new Boxer vehicles, with the first platforms scheduled to enter service in the first half of 2026.
The Boxer is an eight-wheeled modular armored vehicle, built around a common drive module onto which mission-specific payload modules can be rapidly installed. This modular architecture has enabled the development of numerous Boxer variants for both European and non-European armed forces. To date, more than 2,000 Boxer vehicles have been ordered or delivered, all powered by mtu 8V199 engines, underscoring the engine’s reliability and operational acceptance.
According to Rolls-Royce, the mtu Series 199 has become one of the most widely fielded engine programs for military land vehicles, with over 4,500 engines delivered to NATO and allied forces. Building on this success, the company is expanding the Series 199 into a broader engine family, including enhanced 8-cylinder variants, a 10-cylinder engine rated up to 1,100 kilowatts, and a 12-cylinder version exceeding 1,300 kilowatts. The approach emphasizes component commonality, reducing logistics complexity, lowering life-cycle costs, and improving fleet readiness and sustainment in operational environments.
