Germany and Netherlands Secure $4B Joint Purchase of Jackal IFVs
Germany and the Netherlands have finalized a €3.4 billion ($4 billion) deal for the procurement of Jackal infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) through OCCAR. This contract includes 150 units for Germany and 72 for the Netherlands, with potential for additional units.
Key facts
- Germany to receive 150 Jackal units, Netherlands 72.
- Contract valued at €3.4 billion ($4 billion).
- Jackal combines Boxer platform with Puma turret.
- Includes options for enhanced anti-tank and drone defense.
- OCCAR oversees the Boxer program for multiple nations.
5 minute read
Germany and the Netherlands have jointly placed a major order for the 8×8-wheeled infantry fighting vehicle variant known as the “Jackal” or Schakal, signalling a significant step forward in European land forces modernisation. Under a contract valued at around €3.4 billion (US$4 billion) managed by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), 150 vehicles will go to the Bundeswehr (German armed forces) and 72 to the Koninklijke Landmacht (Dutch Army).
The vehicle combines the chassis of the proven Boxer platform with the turret and 30 mm main gun of the tracked Puma infantry fighting vehicle.
This approach brings mobility, modularity and protected mobility into alignment with firepower and sensor capabilities earlier reserved for heavier, tracked vehicles. The contract also includes optional services such as enhanced anti-tank protection, firing detection and drone defence systems, highlighting the broader operational envelope envisioned for the new fleet.
Industrial responsibilities fall to Artec GmbH, the joint venture between Rheinmetall and KNDS Deutschland, which oversees the Boxer family production under OCCAR’s contracting structure. Rheinmetall reported its portion of the contract at “almost €3 billion.”
This procurement deepens the German–Dutch defence industrial cooperation already evident in their other joint acquisitions and commands. For Germany, the Jackal marks the designated main combat system for its newly-formed "medium forces" brigade. For the Netherlands, the purchase further strengthens its light mechanised capabilities. The shared acquisition boosts interoperability between the two armies and supports logistic commonality across a regional axis.
Strategically this order plugs into larger shifts across Europe’s defence posture. The Boxer family now represents a modular backbone for wheeled armoured mobility in NATO’s northern flank; OCCAR notes that the Boxer investment portfolio now exceeds €10 billion, spanning multiple variants and national contributions.
Wheeled IFVs like the Jackal align with trends toward high-mobility, medium-weight units suited for rapid deployment, flexibility in complex terrain and readiness for hybrid warfare scenarios where speed and protection matter.
The timing also matters. With Russia’s war in Ukraine underscoring the importance of modern armoured mobility, and as NATO’s defence orientation pivots to deterrence along its eastern flank, Germany in particular is investing heavily in land systems renewal. The Jackal acquisition dovetails with Berlin’s broader effort to assume greater conventional-capability weight within Europe and reduce dependency on external supply chains.
From an industrial-policy viewpoint the deal reaffirms Europe’s capacity to deliver complex multinational armaments programmes. By standardising on a drive module across Boxer variants, Germany and the Netherlands aim to reduce life-cycle costs, simplify interoperability and offer a common framework for future capabilities.
Several implications follow. Within NATO, the alignment of German and Dutch mechanised forces will enhance their ability to contribute to multinational battlegroups and rapid reaction forces. In the EU context, the Franco-German led land systems agenda is boosted by such collaborative arms procurement. The focus on wheeled platforms suggests a further shift from heavy tracked forces toward more mobile, networked systems suitable for contested, urban and hybrid battlefields.
Looking ahead, the contract includes options for up to 248 additional Jackal vehicles, indicating that this is more than a one-off purchase—it is the foundation of a longer-term force-structure realignment. Deliveries are expected to begin in the coming years, with the full programme scheduled into the early 2030s.
For Europe’s defence community, the Jackal deal is more than new hardware. It encapsulates a strategic evolution: from massed heavy armour to adaptable, digitally connected mechanised units built through multinational cooperation. As the battlefield becomes more mobile, multidomain and contested by drones, cyber and precision fires, systems like the Jackal will test how well land forces digested lessons from Ukraine and prepared for high-intensity conflict.
Summary
Germany and the Netherlands have finalized a €3.4 billion ($4 billion) deal for the procurement of Jackal infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) through OCCAR. This contract includes 150 units for Germany and 72 for the Netherlands, with potential for additional units. The Jackal, based on the Boxer platform, enhances military capabilities with options for drone defense and anti-tank protection.
