Britain’s military is closing in on a multi-billion pound deal to equip the army with eight-wheeled armoured vehicles that will form a key part of the country’s future combat strategy.

Defence sources say the Ministry of Defence is requesting information about pricing ahead of a potential purchase of hundreds of Mechanised Infantry Vehicles (MIV).

Although not an order, the request for information will help military planners cost up the deal ahead of a so-called “main gate” decision on whether to go ahead.

It is thought the MoD could ultimately order as many as 500 MIVs at a cost of up to £2bn.

The MIV project has proved difficult in the past. The MoD is facing a huge funding gap for new equipment, while generals are desperate to get the vehicles into service, as they form a central part of the strategy for fast-moving armoured strike brigades.

Further complications have arisen because the Army seems to favour the Boxer vehicle, which is built by Artec, a consortium headed by Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall, raising concerns much of the production work could be done abroad.