Potential Army Trucks Finalise Testing (Land 121)

[Exsandgroper]

The Hon. Greg Combet AM MP
Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science

18 Feb 2010
23/10
Potential Army Trucks Finalise Testing


Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, today announced that trials for competing medium to heavy weight trucks for the Australian Army had been completed.


Tenderers to provide Medium to Heavy Weight Trucks to the Army under Project Land 121 were asked to provide a range of vehicle platforms for evaluation. The Medium Heavy Capability component of Land 121 represents approximately 2,000 trucks and modules.


“The trial tested 24 vehicles in five vehicle categories, employing over 64 Army test drivers and putting the trucks through comprehensive field testing, on both public roads and military training areas, over a six month period,” Mr Combet said.


“As a result of the trial Thales’ Bushmaster Utility, MAN Military Vehicle Systems Australia’s HX vehicle series and Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific’s Zetros and Actros vehicle series have been identified by Defence as the contenders to proceed to the next stage,” Mr Combet said.


The trials were conducted under stage one of the Land 121 Medium Heavy Capability tender refreshment process. The Government ordered the tender to be refreshed when new requirements became apparent due to the changing strategic environment.


“Phase 3 of Project Land 121 (Overlander) is the largest land project in the current Defence Capability Plan that seeks to significantly improve the capability, logistics and mobility for the Australian Defence Force,” Mr Combet said.


“Given the previous problems that have been experienced in this project the Government is fundamentally seeking a Military-Off-The-Shelf solution which will be subject only to minimal changes necessary to address safety and legislative requirements.

“This has been a problem project and we still have a way to go. However, the Government is determined to ensure that we get this project back on track so we can get the trucks our troops need to do their job,” Mr Combet said.

Cheers

[Gubler, A.]

Well that confirms the rumours of contract negotiations for a 1,000 of so Copperheads. And MAN and Benz to fight it out for the trucks.

[geof]

I wonder what they didn't like about the Oshkosh truck.... Oh well...:-( .....go the MAN.

[buglerbilly]

Bushmaster Single Cab Utility selected for next stage of Australian vehicles program

18:12 GMT, February 18, 2010



Thales Australia's Bushmaster family of vehicles has received another boost, with the Single Cab Utility downselected for the Department of Defence's LAND 121 Phase 3 program.

[Does this mean the Dual Cab is still likely OR the 6x6.......hmmmmm?]

LAND 121 Phase 3 will replace a fleet of over 2,000 Australian Defence Force field vehicles and trailers with new vehicles procured across the program's Medium Heavy Capability component. Thales Australia's Bushmaster Single Cab Utility has been downselected for the next stage of the tender evaluation process in the mediumweight category.

Chris Jenkins, Thales Australia's Managing Director, said the decision reflected the high level of industry capability, protected mobility vehicles expertise and customer knowledge available in Australia.

"The Bushmaster has been a very successful vehicle on operations, and we expect the Single Cab Utility to follow in this tradition. The successful development of the Single Cab Utility is a reflection on the extensive local expertise available to the ADF. We have worked closely with the customer for many years developing solutions that meet their unique operational requirements.

"This partnership has proven very successful, not only in terms of the creation of a sustainable local long-term relationship but also, most importantly, in protecting the lives of servicemen and women on operations."

The Single Cab Utility is a cab chassis 4 x 4 protected logistics vehicle. It can carry a 5,000 kg load on its 9.4m2 tray, while providing crew with the protection, mobility and combat flexibility to fulfil their mission in the most hostile environments.

The Single Cab Utility uses the same monocoque v-shaped hull as the combat-proven Bushmaster to provide protection against mine blast and IEDs. This technology is enhanced by upgradeable ballistic protection options for the crew cabin.

[buglerbilly]

Just so we remember what they look like............the MAN HX Series.........4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 versions..........



They also have a couple of different armoured cabs available, this is the so-called Modular Armour Cabin.....






Modular Armoured Cabin – developed to protect lives . .Equipped for tough service

Nowadays the threats which arise are of a new quality. It is thus even more important than ever to protect crews on missions to resolve and stabilise confl ict situations.

MAN has developed crew protection systems to meet the different requirements: The Modular Armoured Cabin (MAC) is offered for the high- and extreme-mobility MAN HX and SX ranges. The Integrated Armour Cabin (IAC) with higher protection levels is also available for both the HX and SX range.

Protection at level 2/1

The MAC kit consists of external mountable armoured modules and provides protection in accordance with STANAG 4569 against ballistic threats up to level 2 and mine threat up to level 1 including AP DM31.

As an option the cab can be equipped with different weapons stations.. . .Qualified for deployment
Extensive tests and trials for qualifi cation of the MAC have been successfully completed.

Easy and rapid assembly

The modular structure of the MAC protective kit permits the rapid assembly of the armoured modules in the depots or in the field. The MAC kit can be assembled or removed within several hours. The spatial conditions and the ergonomics in the cab are unaffected by attachment of the modules.

Ballistic and mine qualification

Armour material environment test followed by ballistic testing according to the protection level specified

Verification of ballistic performance on fully equipped vehicles

Mine blast detonation underneath and besides armoured truck

Automotive qualification

Full-range automotive functionality tests with armoured modules installed

Verfication of system integration concerning specified climate conditions

Fatigue testing of armoured cab

MAC technical details

Adaptive Solution

Interchangeable between all HX variants

Interchangeable between all SX variants

Weight: approx. 1,400 kg

Geometry: relevant cab envelope for rail/air transport maintained with armoured modules installed, hardtop removed
Assembly/disassembly: several hours subject to conditions and equipment

Handling: Packaging of modules suitable for sea transport and forklift, modules storable in 20`` ISO container

Hardtop removable, door securing devices, cab-tilting with armoured modules installed

Rated for a service life of at least 20 years

1.5 m fording depth

Feature: machine-gun mount

Options: ring mount or weapons station

[buglerbilly]

The Mercedes Bemz ZETROS truck family............BIG trucks!










The Mercedes-Benz Zetros is a family of heavy duty trucks, designed for extreme off-road operations. It is intended both for military and civilian applications. This truck was revealed in 2008. It is available in 4x4 (Zetros 1833) and 6x6 (Zetros 2733) configurations. It complements the Mercedes-Benz Actros, Axor and Atego truck series. The Zetros military trucks were already ordered by the Bulgarian Army.

The Zetros is based on the standard production Axor series, modified for off-road use. The 6x6 version has longer wheelbase and offers payloads from 7 to 10 tons.

A three-seater cab is located behind the engine. Bonnet is tilted forward for servicing. It can be fitted with various levels of armor for ballistic and mine protection.

The Mercedes-Benz Zetros 2733 uses proven automotive components of the Axor/Actros ranges. It is available with two turbocharged diesel engines, developing 326 or 430 hp. Vehicle has a full-time all-wheel drive. The Mercedes-Benz Zetros can be airlifted by the C-130 Hercules or the Transall C-160 transport aircraft with only the slightest of preparation.

[buglerbilly]

The ACTROS...........the first images are Canadian ones..........







The next images are PzBrig15.............

[geof]

More detail on the MAN....

http://www.militarytrucks.man-mn.com/datapool/mediapool/900/The_Mobility_Elite.pdf

[Gubler, A.]

[Does this mean the Dual Cab is still likely OR the 6x6.......hmmmmm?]


Yes and no.

The vehicles for LAND 121 Phase 3 are split into two groups: light and medium-heavy. The “Bushmaster Utility Single Cab” (the tuck formerly known as Copperhead and before that Bushmaster ACSV) is part of the medium-heavy truck buy – in particular the requirement for 630 protected medium weight trucks (cargo: 4-5 tonnes). The “Bushmaster Utility Dual Cab” is part of the light truck buy – in particular the requirement for 350 protected medium weight cab chassis trucks. The 70 unprotected medium weight cab chassis trucks is being provided by the Mercedes Benz G-Wagen 6x6. So whilst 350 Bushmaster Utility Dual Cabs are a certainty it is not covered by the same decision paperwork leading to the recent medium-truck decisions press release.

The requirement for the 200 protected medium tucks (cargo 10 tonnes) will be meet by either the MAN 6x6 HX or Mercedes Benz 6x6 Zetros fitted with an armoured cab. The decision to go for a dedicated armoured vehicle in the mediumweight category was the realisation that these smaller vehicles did not have the weight and power margin to support a heavily armoured cab and still carry 4-5 tonnes of cargo. This problem does not apply to the larger 6x6 and 8x8 vehicles. The Bushmaster 6x6 could only find a home in the Army if there was a large unprotected vehicle in the 4-5 tonnes cargo class with a full length, fully enclosed cab that needed a protected version.

[geof]

Sorry to drag this one out again .. But it has been 9 months since this announcement .. anyone got any insights as to which truck they are leaning towards ... Merc or MAN..??

[buglerbilly]

An option for OVERLANDER..........??

First Multi A4 FSA from Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Transferred to German Military

(Source: Rheinmetall Defence; issued Dec. 21, 2010)



The Multi A4 FSA features a heavily protected cab and has a payload of 16 tonnes; more than 100 are on order for the Bundeswehr. (Rheinmetall photo)Made by Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH (RMMV), the first Multi A4 FSA protected military transport vehicle has been formally transferred to the Bundeswehr at an official rollout ceremony in Munich.

Featuring a heavily protected driver's cab, the Multi A4 FSA does an excellent job of keeping its occupants safe from typical threats encountered during deployed operations. Capable of carrying a 16 ton-payload, the high-performance Multi A4 FSA system platform is well suited to a wide variety of transport roles.

An efficient, well-protected system, this robust RMMV vehicle bridges a significant capabilities gap, enabling the German military to supply and support the growing number of remote outposts in Afghanistan it is currently setting up under a new strategy.

By the end of 2010, the Bundeswehr will have around forty of these vehicles in its inventory, with a further 60 Multi A4 FSAs to follow in short order.

This means that the Bundeswehr will soon have at its disposal 100 out of a total of 157 vehicles ordered thus far under a series production contract that runs until Q1 2012. Since October 2010, MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG and Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH have been successfully carrying out acceptance testing of the first serially produced vehicles, which are based on RMMV’s 8x8 SX45 chassis.

Since training is taking place in tandem with ongoing deliveries of the Multi A4 FSA, the vehicle will be ready to go into action abroad early in 2010, performing a wide array of operational support missions. In particular, the new vehicles will make a major contribution to force protection by enhancing the security of troops engaged in logistical and transport operations.

The "multi" in Multi A4 FSA is a German acronym standing for "Mechanisierte Umschlag-, Lagerung-, Transport-Integration", i.e. "mechanized handling, storage and transport integration", while FSA is short for "Fahrzeugschutzausstattung", underscoring the vehicle's integral forces protection features which, unlike in modular solutions, are built in right from the start rather than retrofitted.

The protected all-steel driver's cab, equipped with heated bullet-resistant glass windows, provides the crew with effective protection against ballistic threats, blast mines and roadside bombs.

Besides standardized, interchangeable load carriers from its predecessor vehicle (the A3) and multifunctional containers, the Multi A4 FSA is able to load and transport 20-foot ISO containers without a variable loader platform completely on its own. When mounted with a protected container for transporting personnel (the "MuConPers"), the Multi A4 FSA is able to transport up to 18 people with the highest system-compatible level of protection.

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Merc shows military might

Barry Park

July 1, 2011 - 1:00AM

A defence force vehicle roadshow rolls into Australia, and we're invited along for the ride.

It's not every day that you get to play with the might of Mercedes-Benz's military vehicle range.

The German car maker invited Drive to a glimpse at a side of the industry we rarely see, especially this far south of Australia's heavily patrolled northern borders.

Anglesea Proving Ground played host to a selection of highly capable vehicles from the German luxury car maker's defense vehicle catalogue, including a sneak look at the six-wheel-drive G-Wagen developed especially for the Australian Army — the first of which arrived last week.

Available to us is a spread of vehicles ranging from light to heavy. There are a couple of G-Class Professionals — basically army-specification cars in civilian clothing — in ute and station wagon form (we're not allowed to even open a door on a vehicle earmarked for the army), a Zetros medium four-by-four truck and the hugely intimidating Actros 8x8 heavy truck wearing enough armour plating to stop a sniper's bullet from penetrating the cabin.

We were not given the chance to drive the vehicles — that job was up to the professional drivers, some of which had flown in specially from Germany — but we were allowed to ride shotgun over the proving ground's challenging off-road circuit to test the capabilities of each class of vehicle.

G-Class Professional


The Army version of Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen called , the G Class Professional.

It's a deceptive name, this. The only reason it doesn't wear the G-Wagen name that's reserved for army vehicles is the lack of camouflage paint (Australia sends its own paint over to the Austrian factory where the G-Wagen is handmade) and the lack of some hush-hush equipment that the Australian Army doesn't want us to know about.

Gone is the gloss and glamour of the road-going G-Class, though. Step up into the taller cabin — it sits higher off the ground than its, ahem, city-slicker cousin — and you're instantly surprised by how utilitarian everything has become. Instead of leather and wood, there's hard-wearing plastic, lots of vinyl and rubber, and a black and white cloth roof that looks like it came off grandpa's suit. Other than the bolstered seats, there's nothing warm or comforting.

There's just a basic dash in front of the driver. All the familiar switchgear has gone, too, replaced with more hard-wearing toggles and a series of low-mounted touch switches to engage the front, centre and rear diff locks. The passenger seat has a dash-mounted map-reading light on a flexible arm, while the two rear seats each have a map light that folds down from the roof.

Down the back, there's a split barn door that opens up in a much tighter space than the big single door we're more familiar with. Down the back, there's drum brakes instead of discs — it's the only way that the vehicle will hold on a 60-degree slope with just the handbrake set.A quick look around the four-seat cabin from the front passenger seat shows up one of the reasons why the more hardcore version of the G-Wagen is unlikely to ever go on sale in Australia in its current form. While the driver has an airbag, there's not one protecting the front-seat passenger, so the level of safety is not up to Mercedes-Benz Australia's liking. There's no electronic stability control on this vehicle, either.

Cranking the engine reveals the familiar diesel growl of the 3.0-litre V6 diesel powerplant. It's mated to a five-speed automatic gearbox. This drivetrain produces 140kW and 400Nm, which is slightly more power and a bit less torque than what the Australian Army gets in its Euro VI-ready engine. The army's engines, which are right at the cutting edge of emissions controls, are also tuned to run on kerosene on the battleground if needed.

We're sitting on the same run-flat tyres as are fitted to the 1200 vehicles that Mercedes-Benz is supplying to the Australian Army as part of the Project Overland contract the car-maker successfully tendered for to replace a fleet of ageing Land Rover Defenders. So far, about 130 have already been handed over after a final inspection in the same Mulgrave factory where the 2000 Unimog trucks delivered to the Australian Army 30 years ago — and still in operation today — were assembled.

From the passenger seat, it feels just like a conventional G-Class, apart from the vastly different terrain outside the vehicle. There is one difference, though, with the stiff suspension resulting in a rough-terrain ride that is bordering on uncomfortable.

It's capable, though, even stopping half-way up a 45-odd degree incline and taking off again without any sign of stress or wheel scrabble.

The army's version of the G-Class will include four-by-four and six-by-six drivetrains, with body styles ranging from a ''normal'' four-door to a two-door ''Sandman'' (that naming convention took some explaining to German engineers), and cab chassis and dual cabs.


Mercedes-Benz G Class Professional daul-cab.

The cab chassis versions are set up to swap different functions — known as ''modules'' — within minutes. That way, a troop transporter can convert to a dog squad unit or ambulance with almost no delay.



The heaviest module is a radio communications centre, which is mounted on 6x6 versions of the G-Wagen that carry up to a 2100kg payload, about 500kg more than the 4x4 version.

We're not supposed to know how much the army is paying for each G-Wagen it takes delivery of, and it's difficult to assess given that the overall contract includes 30 years of support and servicing. However, suggestions of $120,000 each for the 4x4 wagon didn't draw any fierce denials.

Zetros 4x4



Mercedes-Benz has brought this truck to Australia as part of its bid for another slice of the defence force pie, this time for the supply of medium transport vehicles.

The Zetros is in the running to replace a fleet of 30-year-old Unimogs that have reached the end of their serviceable life. The army hangs onto its vehicles for a long time, so whatever replaces the Unimog will be expected to do the same.

The Zetros is a cab-rearward design that places the cabin behind the front axle. This helps with spreading the weight distribution evenly over the axles, and also provides the most ride comfort — a point to which we will return a bit later.



Benz is hoping the army will take a shine to the Zetros, specifically because it can fit in the belly of a Hercules transport plane without any fuss. The four-by-four version of this truck can carry up to 6 tonnes, while the six-by-six is rated to 10 tonnes.

Under the hood is a 240kW in-line six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine hooked up to a nine-speed gearbox that gives the Zetros an incredible 300Nm of torque to get moving.



The tyres on this thing are almost as tall as I am. They bulge at the bottom, as we've had a bit of rain on the proving ground, so more grip is needed from the tread's huge lugs.Our driver Mickel reckons this truck is his favourite of all the Benz military vehicles. He soon shows why.

He's on a flying lap of the off-road circuit. There's a long, lazy run down the back of the course, and he is pushing the big truck hard (he goes so hard that attempting to chase the big truck in a G-Class Professional to see if we can keep up is fruitless). Outside, as the scenery flashes past and the truck lurches over undulations, it's a picture of almost calm in the cabin. The comfy, air-suspended seats absorb almost all the lumps and bumps, with only a bit of side-to-side movement resulting in head contact with a rigid grab-handle mounted on the roof.

Our driver attacks a series of steep descents, impressive climbs, whoopty-dos, a 1.2 metre-deep water bath and partly submerged track as though it was a high-speed supermarket car park, easily washing off a burst of speed before sprinting the next obstacle.



Interesting that the ZETROS has RHD as shown here, I wasn't aware they'd done that yet?

We're in the unprotected cabin, but if buyers want they can ask for a heavily armoured version that can stop a sniper's bullet, or a lighter version that will stop a machine gun spray.

Want your own Zetros? This one costs around the $250,000 mark, so you'll have to be willing to forego that S-Class limousine to afford it. However, the German government must first give Mercedes-Benz approval to sell it to you, which could well lay those plans to rest...



Actros 8x8



The Canadian army calls this vehicle Optimus Prime after the Transformers character, and it's easy to see why.
This is the same vehicle the Canadian army has on active duty in Afghanistan, and so far, there has not been a single casualty in it while on operations.

Again, Mercedes-Benz has brought this vehicle to Australia as part of its bid for the heavy transport vehicle contract that the Australian Army is tendering.

It's a cab-forward design, so the heavily armoured cabin sits in front of the axle. It makes the ride a bit uncomfortable, but opens up a range of load-space opportunity behind it.

This reinforced cabin is rated to ''3b'', which means it can withstand the bullets from a powerful sniper rifle.

However, you can option this vehicle with a ''4'' armour rating, meaning it can withstand the serious firepower of a 50-cal bullet. That big hook? It flips up to cut wires strung out over the battlefield, mainly to protect the radio antennas that can be mounted behind it.



Press the button to open the 350kg door — they're too heavy to open manually, and we're repeatedly warned that if it closes on a finger, the strength of the seal will shear it off — and it's an imposing climb over the plated armour skin composed of material described as ''sorry, we can't say''.

Our driver, Patrick, reckons this is the easiest of the trucks to drive. I'll have to take his word for it, because the view outside the letterbox-slot, 9mm thick windows is fairly limited.

Because this is a protected cabin, the seats are fitted with a four-point harness instead of the traditional three-pointer. As it is explained to me, there's no point in surviving the detonation of a roadside improvised explosive device to be killed when you're flung out of your seat by the force of the blast.

It's hot in the cabin as there's a good seal between it and the cold outside, and we're sitting on top of a big V8 diesel engine that's working hard to move the Actros' bulk.

The engine only produces about the same power as a 386kW E63 AMG, but generates up to almost four times the torque — a chunky 2400Nm of the stuff. That gives it a huge amount of pulling power to move up to 18 tonnes over open ground.

The interior of the Actros looks very similar to that of the Zetros, a point which Mercedes-Benz is hoping won't go unnoticed by defence force scrutineers who will pour over the cars in Adelaide this week.

The pace is more sedate than in the flying Zetros, but we're still doing a good clip of speed on the runs in between obstacles. The Actros, though, has to move a lot slower once it reaches the challenging bits, its two reticulating front wheels providing a surprisingly small turning circle.

It's nowhere near as comfortable as the smaller truck, too, although the wide-and-low panoramic view forward is better.

Want one? Well, you're choosing between it and a $470,000 SLS AMG ''Gullwing'', because they will cost about the same. However, unlike the Gullwing, once the bitumen ends old Optimus Prime doesn't have to stop. For anyone, it seems.

[Milne Bay]

Defence plans mass sale of used vehicles

Updated August 10, 2011 16:00:28


The Army is planning one of its largest sales of used Defence vehicles.

As part of a shake-up to the way the Defence Department gets rid of unwanted military equipment, 12,000 Army vehicles will be on offer.

However it is not an offer open to the general public.

Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare wants Australian industries to come up with ideas on how the vehicles could be used and apply to buy them.

It is expected the non-combat vehicles will include Land Rovers, trailers, Unimogs, trucks and truck-mounted cranes.

The disposal of the vehicles will run until 2020 and organisations are asked to register their interest with the Defence Force.

The Defence Department hopes to follow the UK model in which decommissioned non-combat military equipment is sold to industry and the money is re-invested in new equipment.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-10/defence-plans-car-sale/2833496

[buglerbilly]

WHY not to the Public, the UK does, almost solely.............Mil specific gear, tracked armour being an example, has a restirctive use against it but there are more than a few Mil vehicle collectors in the UK and EU as well as the USA, who commonly collect gear as it becomes available.

Withams in the UK sell a lot of Ex Brit Forces gear and have done for years............

[buglerbilly]

Project Overlander – LAND 121

(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued December 12, 2011)


Australia has selected the Thales Hawkei as the preferred vehicle in the LAND 121 Phase 4 project, which calls for buying 1,300 vehicles for $1.5 billion. (Aus DoD photo)

Wow! Hawkei and MAN trucks get it..........happy with that I must say..............

Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today announced that the Government had taken the next step in the $7.5 billion Project Overlander that will provide the Australian Defence Force with around 7,500 new vehicles over the next decade.

Project Overlander will replace the current fleet of Land Rovers, Unimog, Mack and S-Liner trucks and their associated trailers and modules.

These new vehicles represent a significant increase in capability, replacing multiple vehicles fleets that have been in service since the early 1980s.

LAND 121 Phase 3B Protected and Unprotected Medium and Heavy Vehicles

Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia has been down-selected as the preferred tenderer and will now enter into detailed negotiations to provide up to 2,700 protected and unprotected medium and heavy vehicles under LAND 121 Phase 3B.

Options will also be sought for approximately 1,000 more unprotected vehicles for training purposes under LAND 121 Phase 5B.

This decision has been made after lengthy tender evaluations that involved both desktop analysis and vehicle performance testing. Rheinmetall MAN was selected as it offered the best value for money and met Defence requirements for capability and cost.

These vehicles will replace the Australian Defence Force’s current fleet of Unimog, Mack and S-Liner trucks. They include:
-- Medium and Heavy recovery vehicles;
-- Medium and Heavy tractors (equipment transporters);
-- Heavy integrated load handling vehicles (self-loading hook lift trucks); and
-- Medium-weight tray variants (with cranes and tippers).

The new vehicles will improve performance and protection as well as provide commonality across the fleet which will improve Army’s training and logistic support requirements.

Subject to successful negotiations, it is anticipated that approximately 35 per cent of the value of the Phase 3B work will be undertaken in Australia by Rheinmetall MAN and its Australian subcontractors.

The work in Australia will provide significant opportunities for Australian industry, including the installation of locally supplied bodies and modules, and integration of vehicle parts and testing. This work is expected to be undertaken in Wacol, Brisbane. The through life support for the vehicles is also expected to be undertaken in Australia.

Defence will also enter into negotiations with Australian company Haulmark Trailers, as the preferred tenderer to supply up to 2,500 trailers for these medium and heavy vehicles. Subject to satisfactory negotiations, the trailers will be manufactured at Haulmark’s Brisbane facility and this work is expected to create up to 75 jobs and sustain approximately 150 jobs.

Commercial negotiations are expected to inform second pass approval by Government in 2013. Should a satisfactory commercial outcome not be achieved, Defence has reserved the right to engage other tenderers.

Subject to contract negotiation and the options exercised by Defence, the cost for Phases 3B and 5B is now expected to cost more than the original budget estimate from August 2007.

The additional funds will come from surplus funds previously committed to LAND 121 Phase 2A and 3A, LAND 17 Phase 1C Artillery Replacement and LAND 112 (Australian Light Armoured Vehicle Enhancement) and JOINT PROJECT 2048 Phase 3 (Amphibious watercraft).

The first stage of the upgrade to Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAVs) has been completed in Afghanistan. This included the fitting of US Marine Corps belly plates and blast protected driver seats.

The Government has decided not to proceed with the second stage of upgrades to ASLAVs on the advice of Defence. The second stage was developmental and considered too risky to proceed with.

LAND 121 Phase 4 Protected and Unprotected Light Vehicles

LAND 121 Phase 4 is a $1.5 billion project that seeks to provide up to 1300 protected and unprotected light vehicles.

Thales Australia’s Hawkei has been selected as the preferred vehicle for the development and testing under Stage 2 of the Manufactured and Supported in Australia (MSA) option under LAND 121 Phase 4.

Following exhaustive testing and assessment of the MSA participants, Defence recommended the Hawkei vehicle as it was most likely to meet the future capability and value for money requirements of the LAND 121 Ph4 MSA option.

The next stage of Phase 4 will include funding for further development and testing including the manufacture of prototype vehicles.

Subject to successful testing of the vehicles, final Government approval of the project is expected in 2015, and production work could potentially commence in Australia as early as 2016.

Thales Australia is currently manufacturing Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles at its factory in Bendigo. This manufacturing capability, and the skills of the workforce, is an important national security capability.

On current plans, manufacture of Bushmasters at Bendigo is expected to be completed before the end of 2013.

In order to retain critical skills in Bendigo while the design of the Hawkei is finalised and proven, the Government has agreed to explore the purchase of additional Bushmaster vehicles.

The approval to acquire additional Bushmaster vehicles will be dependent on Thales demonstrating an efficient, effective and innovative program to maintain core protected vehicle manufacturing skills at Bendigo and in successfully meeting technical performance, cost and schedule commitments in the development of the Hawkei vehicle.

Progress towards a suitable production-ready Hawkei will be measured through a series of milestones. Thales will need to successfully demonstrate the maturing design of the vehicle.

Defence will continue to monitor progress of the US Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program, however, no additional funding commitments have been made at this stage.

LAND 121 Phases 3A and 5A Light and Lightweight Tactical Training Vehicles

The production of 1,187 Mercedes Benz G-Wagons was approved in 2007 to replace the Australian Defence Force’s current fleet of Land Rovers under LAND 121 Phase 3A.

In August this year, the Government announced that a further 959 G-Wagons would be purchased under LAND 121 Phase 5A to provide a fleet of tactical vehicles and an enhanced training capability to prepare for operations in protected vehicles.

Modules for these vehicles will be manufactured and integrated by G. H. Varley Pty Ltd in the Hunter Valley of NSW and the trailers will be sourced from Haulmark Trailers.

Vehicle deliveries commenced in March this year in accordance with the acquisition schedule. To date 307 production vehicles have been delivered to units including RAAF Base Amberley, Latchford Barracks and the Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering in Albury.

The main roll-out of vehicles to Defence units is scheduled to occur between July 2012 and 2015.

-ends-

[Milne Bay]

Project Overlander – LAND 121


Subject to contract negotiation and the options exercised by Defence, the cost for Phases 3B and 5B is now expected to cost more than the original budget estimate from August 2007.

The additional funds will come from surplus funds previously committed to LAND 121 Phase 2A and 3A, LAND 17 Phase 1C Artillery Replacement and LAND 112 (Australian Light Armoured Vehicle Enhancement) and JOINT PROJECT 2048 Phase 3 (Amphibious watercraft).

The first stage of the upgrade to Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAVs) has been completed in Afghanistan. This included the fitting of US Marine Corps belly plates and blast protected driver seats.

The Government has decided not to proceed with the second stage of upgrades to ASLAVs on the advice of Defence. The second stage was developmental and considered too risky to proceed with.



-ends-


Good news indeed that this decision has been reached.
What are the surplus funds from LAND 17 Phase 1C which will acquire two batteries of 155mm Self Propelled Howitzers.
Puzzled here?????

[buglerbilly]

Possibly delays in expenditure and/or exchange rate variations..............also this:

(ASLAV wheeled APC Enhancement, improved armor implemented but Stage 2 cancelled),

[buglerbilly]

The MAN trucks, first HX58, armoured cab.........



HX60, 4x4 version, armoured cab, remote weapon system.............

[geof]

.. Fantastic result !! ... Merry Christmas Australian Army .. Where does this leave Copper Head & Dual Cab Bushmaster variants .. ??

[buglerbilly]

Still there and possibly/probably part of the additional Bushmasters buy voiced above..................also see below from Abe in post 9 on this thread..........


The vehicles for LAND 121 Phase 3 are split into two groups: light and medium-heavy. The “Bushmaster Utility Single Cab” (the tuck formerly known as Copperhead and before that Bushmaster ACSV) is part of the medium-heavy truck buy – in particular the requirement for 630 protected medium weight trucks (cargo: 4-5 tonnes). The “Bushmaster Utility Dual Cab” is part of the light truck buy – in particular the requirement for 350 protected medium weight cab chassis trucks. The 70 unprotected medium weight cab chassis trucks is being provided by the Mercedes Benz G-Wagen 6x6. So whilst 350 Bushmaster Utility Dual Cabs are a certainty it is not covered by the same decision paperwork leading to the recent medium-truck decisions press release.

The requirement for the 200 protected medium tucks (cargo 10 tonnes) will be meet by the MAN 6x6 HX..................

[Gubler, A.]

Still there and possibly/probably part of the additional Bushmasters buy voiced above..................also see below from Abe in post 9 on this thread..........

Yeap. The protected dual cab light trucks are the Army's weapon carrier types. Including gun tractors for M777s and so on. The protected single cap mediumweight is very much a cargo mover (Unimog replacement). So the exposure to enemy fires is going to be much higher for the weapons carriers than the cargo haulers. So why MAN SX 4x4 with armoured cab will save the lives of truck drivers from the brigade transport squadrons and be good enough for this role the fully armoured Bushmster Dual Cab ute is really what you want when you are carrying 4-6 guys and some important bit of kit.

[geof]

.. Thanks for that .. good news. Dual Cab Ute variant will make for a perfect gun tractor .. Could flog a few OS if they are quick before the idea gets ripped off .. if it hasn't already ..