DVD 2024: Rheinmetall and Patria debut first UK prototype of Boxer mortar carrier

Patria and Rheinmetall announced the debut of the UK prototype design Boxer Armoured Mortar Variant at the DVD 2024 exhibition in Millbrook on 18 September. (Janes/Tom Barton)

Rheinmetall and Patria have for the first time displayed the UK prototype of their Nemo semi-automatic turreted 120 mm mortar on a modified Boxer armoured vehicle.

While a Boxer and Nemo combination has been displayed before, this design – displayed at the Defence Vehicle Demonstration (DVD) 2024 exhibition held in Millbrook, United Kingdom, on 18 and 19 September – has a rear compartment raised by around 14 cm compared with others. This modification is based on discussions with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) on meeting a Generic Vehicle Architecture (GVA) requirement for emergency crew egress and access to the driver's compartment, James Butler, head of Business Capture at Rheinmetall told Janes.

The BoxerArmoured Mortar Variant (AMV) will be put forward for the UK's Land Mobility Programme, Boxer batch two mortar vehicle requirement. Butler says the companies expect this to commence in the coming months.

The MoD has funded study work for the project, with the rest of the capital put up by Rheinmetall and Patria.

There were three candidates for the 120 mm mortar including Elbit Systems' Crossbow and Rheinmetall's Ragnarok. Butler said that Rheinmetall wanted an in-service turret capability with crew protection as a key feature, which lead to the choice of Nemo.

Lauri Pauniaho, director of weapon systems at Patria Land Oy, told Janes Nemo is combat proven, without saying where. Nemo is in service with Saudi Arabia's National Guard and on the UAE's Ghannatha-class high-speed multirole ships. Sweden is also a user on eight fast mortar boats and two operating from track transportable containers.