Australia signs over $664M weapons pact with Germany

ANKARA

Australia will build Boxer Heavy Weapon Carriers for Germany under an over A$1 billion ($664.5 million) agreement.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in a tweet on Monday, confirmed that Australia has signed an "in-principle" agreement to build the carriers for Germany in Queensland.

"The project will create well-paid manufacturing jobs for Australia. And mean a boost of more than A$1 billion to the Australian economy," he added.

Albanese is visiting Berlin ahead of the NATO talks, where he inked "one of the biggest" defense deals in Australia's history," Australia's Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) reported.

The Albanese government started formal negotiations for the deal in March this year.

Canberra will export more than 100 Brisbane-made Boxer heavy weapon carrier vehicles to Berlin starting in 2025.

The military vehicles will be produced in Redbank and will secure around 1,000 jobs.

The armored vehicles will be known as Heavy Weapon Carrier Vehicles in German service. They will supplement large numbers of new tanks and other armored vehicles the German Army is buying as it builds up its military in response to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Boxers are able to carry about eight troops via a rear ramp and are available with a wide variety of different turrets fitted with machine guns, remotely operated weapons stations, anti-armor missiles, or large long-range artillery cannons.

It is, however, unclear how the German Boxers will be equipped at this stage.