Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of procuring a turreted cannon for the Mechanised Infantry Vehicle, Boxer.

The Strategic Defence Review will guide future capability development priorities to ensure the United Kingdom is both secure at home and strong abroad now and for years to come. As the review is still ongoing, the implications for capability programmes, including BOXER, will not be fully known until it has concluded in the first half of 2025.

However, I can confirm that the Army has conducted operational analysis, lethality and survivability studies, which includes analysing potential turreted options. The Army will continually review the capabilities, priorities and affordability choices that will be provided by BOXER and other platforms to ensure that its Armoured Fighting Vehicle fleet best meets Defence and NATO’s needs.