Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at a major Defence Procurement Announcement of the Hawkei military vehicle for the defence force.
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THE federal government is equipping the army with 1100 locally-built Hawkei protected vehicles and more than 1000 trailers, under a $1.3 billion deal with defence contractor Thales.
PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull appears set to officially confirm that Bendigo-based manufacturer Thales has won a five-year $1 billion-plus contract to produce the Hawkei armoured vehicles.
Reuters and others report that pilot production will begin next year and full production in 2018, with the vehicles a lighter version of the Bushmaster, also made at Bendigo. The government says the vehicle pioneers the next-generation in communications management systems and is the only protected mobility vehicle in the Defence force that can be transported by its choppers.
“This particular vehicle will be a world leader… and has enormous potential in an export market”, Defence Minister Senator Payne said.
He said the vehicles would protect soldiers and its drivers from the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Former defence minister Kevin Andrews took to social media to claim credit for the decision, saying he had presented the Hawkei submission to the national security committee a few months back.
Thales defeated several overseas bidders for the contract under a project called Land 121 Phase 4 that will guarantee hundreds of jobs at its Bendigo factory for the next decade and beyond.
“Hawkei will contribute further to this major regional stimulus, boosting confidence in our local industry and Australian manufacturing”. It is created to give troops much greater protection than the Land Rovers they once used.
Hawkei undergoing sea water and beach testing.
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“It is an example of how the Australian Defence Force is investing in technology to meet the threats of the modern battleground”, he said.
