The Australian government has approved an electronic warfare capability upgrade for the Australian Army’s Bushmaster armored vehicle fleet.
According to defense industry minister Pat Conroy, the project is valued at nearly A$75 million (approx. US$51M) and will be delivered by Raytheon Australia.
Project Land 555 Phase 6 will modify existing Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles and install electronic warfare systems into these vehicles.
Minister Conroy said the systems would improve the Australian defense forces’ ability to monitor and control the electronic environment and, where necessary, deny or degrade the electronic systems of adversaries.
“The government is committed to increasing the ADF’s ability to operate and fight in complex electromagnetic environments,” minister Conroy said.
“This new capability will give our land force a better range of options to continue to pursue our interests in our region and deter, defeat and deny attacks and threats against Australia.
“The project will complement air and maritime force level electronic warfare systems, further enhancing these capabilities when deployed in combination as a joint force.”
The Bushmaster is an 11-ton, 4×4 blast and ballistic protected mobility vehicle with a 4-ton payload. In service in several Asia-Pacific nations, as well the UK and the Netherlands, the vehicle is specially designed to protect and transport up to ten people in extreme environments and hostile territory.
Since the start of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, Australia has also committed to sending 60 of the vehicles to Ukraine, in support of the country’s defense against the invasion.
Minister Conroy said Australian industry would be involved in supply, training and maintenance support.
“The project will inject more than $46 million into Australian industry, contributing to strengthening our sovereign defense industrial base, supporting delivery of multiple sovereign industrial capability priorities and growing the skills of our local workforce,” minister Conroy said.
