Annual Report 2004-05

Approved Major Capital Equipment Projects

Top 30 Projects by 2004-05 Expenditure

LAND 116 Bushranger Infantry Mobility Vehicles

Prime contractor: ADI Limited

Project Bushranger is acquiring 299 infantry mobility vehicles from ADI Ltd. The infantry mobility family of vehicles will consist of six variants: troop, command, assault pioneer, mortar, direct fire weapon and ambulance. The vehicles will provide two motorised infantry battalion groups to the Army and 12 troop variants to the Air Force Airfield Defence Guards.

The first production vehicle delivered has been the subject of a significant range of tests designed to verify that the vehicle meets specified requirements. While ADI had previously undertaken low-rate production of Bushmaster vehicles, they commenced full--rate production of the vehicles in the latter half of 2004-05.

The key performance outcome for the project for 2004-05 was the move to full rate production and commencement of introduction into service. The move to full rate production has been achieved, and the vehicle has been provisionally accepted for Iraq and Afghanistan, where it is performing well.

The project did not achieve its 2004-05 revised estimate due to delays in the full acceptance of vehicles for reasons of contractual and quality compliance.

The project office has revised initial phasings to reflect a more realistic time frame for expenditure. $4.4m was re-phased to 2005-06. The variation in forecast expenditure is due to this re-phasing and global updates of costs due to delays in the full acceptance.

This project contributes to Army and Air Force capability.