Rolls-Royce to deliver mtu engines to Boxer programme

Rolls-Royce Power Systems recently signed contracts with WFEL and Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) covering the delivery of the engines between 2022 and 2030.

Rolls-Royce will deliver engine components to its subsidiary Rolls-Royce Solutions UK in East Grinstead where engine assembly, acceptance tests and painting will be carried out.

David Eaton, director – Governmental at Rolls-Royce Solutions UK, said: “We have been working energetically with our industry partners for a number of years to reach this point and are very much looking forward to delivering our engines to power these…British-built infantry vehicles.”

For the fulfilment of the contract with WFEL, the Rolls Royce engines will be delivered to Huddersfield-based David Brown Santasalo, a partner in WFEL's Boxer programme, who will integrate the engines into the complete Boxer Powerpack Assemblies, prior to delivery to WFEL.  First delivery of the engines will take place later this year.

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For RBSL, assembly and testing of the Boxer Powerpack (transmission, engine and cooling systems) will take place at its manufacturing site in Telford.

The engines will then be integrated into Boxer vehicles as part of RBSL and WFEL’s vehicle production plans at their respective UK facilities in Telford and Stockport.

Boxer MIV for the British Army will be the first version of the vehicle equipped with Rolls-Royce’s mtu 8V 199 TE21 engine, delivering 600KW, which is 70KW more than the mtu engines in previous versions of the vehicle. Increased power output allows for enhanced operational mobility and agility despite the vehicles’ higher weight due to improved protection.  It also enables a higher electrical load.

The British Army will receive infantry carrier, specialist carrier, command post and ambulance variants of the vehicle.

Knut Müller, vice president Global Governmental at Rolls-Royce business unit Power Systems said: “The Boxer MIV project is a very important part of the modernisation of the British Army. To support this project, we have made a big effort to enable manufacturing of our proven mtu Series 199 engines in the UK for the first time.”