Weighing in at 36 tonnes, with a top speed of 105 kilometres per hour and equipped with a 30-millimetre automatic cannon – the Australian Army's latest asset, the Boxer, has been put to the test at a military exercise north of Brisbane.

The army's 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (LHR) is testing the capabilities of the combat reconnaissance vehicle (CRV) at a live fire exercise at the Wide Bay Training Area at Tin Can Bay.

The vehicle is designed to protect soldiers in high-threat environments as they seek information about an adversary and can deliver significant firepower.

Although a welcome upgrade from its predecessor the ASLAV (Australian Light Armoured Vehicle), switching over comes with its challenges.

Cavalry Troop Leader Lieutenant Aaron Ivers said the staged training approach was crucial to making sure soldiers understood how to handle the new vehicle.

"We have a progression of training we need to meet," he said.

"We start small and work our way up to larger manoeuvre exercises and we make sure everyone in the troop is comfortable in that progression of training to meet that high standard."

Lieutenant Ivers said the transition has been going well.

"There is definitely things we need to learn and operate with converting from an ASLAV to a Boxer CRV," he said.

"We have a 30mm Mark II which is an upgrade from the ASLAV 25mm."

'As smart as a human'

The new eight-wheel-drive Boxer CRV is expected to enhance the safety, security and protection of Australian troops for the next 30 years.

The vehicle will play an essential role in combined arms fighting, which is when a suite of vehicles and systems work together in land combat.

Twenty-five Boxers built in Germany have already been supplied to the army, with a total of 211 due to be delivered.

The remaining vehicles will be manufactured in Queensland by Rheinmetall Australia as part of a $5.2-billion deal.

Squadron 2nd in Command Lieutenant Dane Brooks said the exercise at Tin Can Bay has been running smoothly.

"The vehicle is exceptionally capable in what it can do and we are learning to manipulate that every single day," he said.

"This vehicle provides us with a multitude of capabilities such as increased lethality, increased survivability and manoeuvrability around the battle space.

"It's basically just as smart as a human at times, so we are learning to evolve with that every single day."

Exercise Talisman Sabre

This week's exercise has been held in preparation for the ADF's largest bilateral training exercise with the US military, Exercise Talisman Sabre, which will begin in July.

"The 2nd/14th LHR Queensland Mounted infantry's role within the 7th Brigade is to conduct formation reconnaissance to identify any potential or known threat within the battle space," Lieutenant Brooks said.

"And answer any information requirements that may be required of our formation commander.

"We're currently in the preparation stage for Talisman 2023.

"That will see us certify the 7th Combat Brigade for any short-notice government tasks."