The Australian Army will be receiving additional Bushmaster protected vehicles from Thales Australia under a A$160 million contract announced by Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy.
The signing of the contract took place at Thales Australia’s Bendigo facility on May 17.
Thales’ Bendigo facility has produced over 1,200 Bushmasters, which were mainly used by the Australian Army during operations in the Middle East.
Thales said it plans to begin work on the new vehicles immediately, which will include a combination of troop-carrying vehicles and command vehicles over the next 18 months.
Last year, Australia disclosed it sent 60 Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles to Ukraine over several military assistance packages aimed at helping Ukraine defend against the Russian invasion.
“Bushmasters gifted to Ukraine by the Australian government are currently in service in Ukraine and providing a vital capability to the Ukrainian Armed Forces as they fight the illegal Russian invasion,” Thales Australia CEO Jeff Connolly commented.
The Bushmaster is an armored vehicle designed for military and civilian applications. It is primarily used for troop transport and is known for its high level of protection against ballistic and mine threats.
The vehicles have also been exported to eight nations, including the Netherlands, UK, Fiji, Jamaica, New Zealand, Japan, and Indonesia.
It is worth noting that Australia is also working on a battery-powered Bushmaster armored vehicle that will serve as the basis of the army’s electric Protected Military Vehicle (ePMV).
