ABC Business
Australia commits $160m to build more Bushmasters after donating 90 to Ukraine in war against Russia
17-5-2023
The federal government has announced a $160 million dollar contract for Bendigo defence manufacturer Thales Australia to build another order of Bushmaster protected vehicles for the Australian Army.
The contract, for the manufacture of 78 new troop-carrying and command vehicles over the next 18 months, was signed at Thales Australia's Bendigo facility today.
"More than 1,200 Bushmasters have already been manufactured at our Bendigo facility," Thales Australia chief executive Jeff Connolly said.
"As well as proving to be a life-saving vehicle for the Australian Army, they have been exported to eight nations including the Netherlands, UK, Fiji, Jamaica, New Zealand, and Indonesia."
Bushmasters could be retro-fitted with missiles
This month's Defence Strategy Review recommended the Australian Army focus on long-range strike capability and the ability to move around with more agility at the edges of land and sea.
Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said the Bushmasters could be used to strike naval targets as part of the Land 4110 project.
"This is a land-based maritime strike. So, this is to give the Australian Army the ability to strike maritime or naval targets," he said.
"I know for a fact, one of the tenders will be strike master option, which is a Bushmaster-produced here at Thales Bendigo equipped with naval strike missiles that we are equipping our destroyers and frigates with.
"That project is being brought forward and given extra resources given the importance of long-range strikes for the Australian Army.
"I have to be very careful because while we don't have a live tender, at some stage there will be a live tender and I'm sure Thales will be part of a bid, but the sort of capability produced at Thales Bendigo will be carefully examined."
A Bushmaster bound for Ukraine waits to be loaded onto a C-17A Globemaster at RAAF Base Amberley. (Supplied: Department of Defence, LACW Emma Schwenke)
© Provided by ABC Business
Australia commits $160m to build more Bushmasters after donating 90 to Ukraine in war against Russia
17-5-2023
The federal government has announced a $160 million dollar contract for Bendigo defence manufacturer Thales Australia to build another order of Bushmaster protected vehicles for the Australian Army.
The contract, for the manufacture of 78 new troop-carrying and command vehicles over the next 18 months, was signed at Thales Australia's Bendigo facility today.
"More than 1,200 Bushmasters have already been manufactured at our Bendigo facility," Thales Australia chief executive Jeff Connolly said.
"As well as proving to be a life-saving vehicle for the Australian Army, they have been exported to eight nations including the Netherlands, UK, Fiji, Jamaica, New Zealand, and Indonesia."
Bushmasters could be retro-fitted with missiles
This month's Defence Strategy Review recommended the Australian Army focus on long-range strike capability and the ability to move around with more agility at the edges of land and sea.
Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said the Bushmasters could be used to strike naval targets as part of the Land 4110 project.
"This is a land-based maritime strike. So, this is to give the Australian Army the ability to strike maritime or naval targets," he said.
"I know for a fact, one of the tenders will be strike master option, which is a Bushmaster-produced here at Thales Bendigo equipped with naval strike missiles that we are equipping our destroyers and frigates with.
"That project is being brought forward and given extra resources given the importance of long-range strikes for the Australian Army.
"I have to be very careful because while we don't have a live tender, at some stage there will be a live tender and I'm sure Thales will be part of a bid, but the sort of capability produced at Thales Bendigo will be carefully examined."
A Bushmaster bound for Ukraine waits to be loaded onto a C-17A Globemaster at RAAF Base Amberley. (Supplied: Department of Defence, LACW Emma Schwenke)
© Provided by ABC Business
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