Australia has awarded Thales a contract to manufacture 15 Bushmaster armored infantry vehicles for the army.
Costing 45 million Australian dollars ($30.3 million), the fleet will be integrated as part of the service’s High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) regiment to bolster the Australian Defence Force’s long-range fire capability.
Work for the Bushmasters will be facilitated by Thales’ Australian segment in Bendigo.
The effort is expected to support hundreds of local jobs and additional opportunities across the supply chain in greater Victoria.
Before the latest contract, Canberra had invested more than 200 million Australian dollars in the city of Bendigo for approximately 90 domestically-produced Bushmasters.
“This additional investment in Bendigo is another example of the Albanese Government’s commitment to a future made in Australia,” Australian Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy stated.
“Protected vehicles such as the Bushmaster are part of the Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities in the Albanese Government’s Defence Industry Development Strategy, and this announcement shows we are supporting the Australian defence industry to deliver our priorities.”
The Bushmaster deal follows Australia’s $1-billion purchase of 22 HIMARS systems from the US in August 2023.
Protected Mobility Vehicle
The Australian Army’s Bushmaster, also called the “Protected Mobility Vehicle,” weighs 12,500 kilograms (13.7 tons) and can carry up to 10 warfighters.
It operates with a Caterpillar 3126E diesel engine for speeds over 100 kilometers (62.1 miles) per hour and an operational range of up to 800 kilometers (497 miles).
The system can be equipped with various levels of NATO-standard armor, open or remote-controlled turrets, heavy machine guns, and automatic grenade launchers.