The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is to acquire 1,100 Hawkei 4×4 light protected mobility vehicles at a cost of AUD1.
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The Hawkei will replace Defence’s Land Rovers and will be built on the Thales Bushmaster line as production of that vehicle winds down, with full production from 2018.
Defense Minister Marise Payne also attended the announcement, saying the Hawkei could draw interest from global buyers due to its effective and well-built design. While defence jobs had been secured jobs for Bendigo, Victorian Industry Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said there were more to be saved.
Australia last year beefed up its air power with the $12.4 billion purchase of 58 more F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to bring its total JSF force to 72 and this year said it would buy two long-distance C-17 Globemaster planes in an Aus$1 billion procurement to boost military and disaster relief operations worldwide.
Thales on Monday said it had signed a supply deal with Australia’s government for 1,100 vehicles and more than 1,000 trailers.
“The Bushmaster was exported to three countries… the market for Hawkei is worldwide”.
The Hawkei – which is around half the size again of an ordinary four-wheel-drive – will carry four troops – although a fifth seat can be fitted.
An A$89 billion system of warships and submarines will be at the heart of a defense strategy paper to be discharged inside of weeks, alongside a separate A$10 billion undertaking to supplant a scope of armored troop bearers for the army, albeit a few defense analysts expect that could be dialed back to assist contain with spendinging.
“So these vehicles are able to operate in every terrain”.
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“The reality is that IEDs, for example, are a feature of the modern battlefield – and regardless of the context in which the ADF is operating, that type of threat is nearly certainly going to be there”, Mr Turnbull said.
