Defence

Defence Materiel Organisation

Overlander project on track

By Brigadier David O'Brien

The Hardened and Networked Army - which refers to the Government's commitment to ensure that the Army is of sufficient size and has the right equipment to meet the challenges of increasingly complex and lethal battlefield - will increase the size and firepower of the land force improve the protection provided to our troops and allow them to communicate better on the future battlefield. In line with this strategy, Request For Tenders (RFTs) were recently released for the replacement of Australian Defence Force (ADF) vehicles and trailers, under the Overlander Program's LAND 121.

Land Systems Division, Overlander Program Manager, Brigadier David O'Brien (front centre) flagged by his Commercial Manager, Drew McMeekin (front left) and his Assistant Program Manager, Kevin O'Callaghan (front right) are joined by the rest of the Overlander Program team on the occasion of the LAND 121 RFT release - 13 December 2005

The Overlander Program commits the Commonwealth to an investment of approximately three billion dollars and is the largest land-based project in the Defence Capability Plan. The Program will deliver many thousands of field vehicles, modules and trailers over the next decade. Phase 3A of Land 121, worth up to $600 million, will see the replacement of the ADF field vehicle and trailers (about 1400 heavy and light vehicles, 1300 trailers and 1200 specialist modules) for high readiness units. Phase 3B of Land 121 will provide the replacement field vehicles and trailers for the remainder of the ADF.

Overlander will fulfil a key commitment in the Government's 2000 Defence White Paper. Field vehicles, trailers and their modularised capabilities are fundamental to Defence's ability to fight and win the land battle.

As part of the initial project phase, a range of vehicles will be purchased for Army's high readiness units, such as 3 Brigade, 5 Aviation Regiment, 10 Force Support Battalion located in Townsville and Sydney as well as RAAF units as Amberley.

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An indicative example of the types of vehicles being replaced.

"The vehicles to be delivered under Program Overlander will not only fill the customary roles of the field vehicle fleet of transporting personnel, combat supplies and, when necessary, the evacuation of casualties. The next generation of field vehicles will also provide complex platforms for command, control, communications, computer and intelligence systems, as well as numerous weapon systems. In addition the new vehicles will maximise protection of our crews from a variety of possible battlefield threats and will incorporate all feasible safety measures Australian's expect of any new vehicle," Program Manager Overlander, Brigadier David O'Brien says.

Overlander seeks to reduce whole of life cost, rationalise vehicle types and numbers, incorporate emerging road safety and legislative design features and capitalise on new ideas from industry. This will be achieved by the release of three separate RFT, including one for the medium and heavy vehicles and modules, another for the light vehicles and modules and the third for the trailers.

The RFT for the light range of vehicles and modules is not restricted and will go out to the world-wide market to ensure Defence gets the best possible solution for its ground mobility needs at the best whole of life cost. However the military trailer RFT will be restricted to Australian manufacturers and those companies responding to the relevant vehicle contracts to encourage the production of trailers in Australia.

Overlander seeks to maximise local industry activities and, in doing so, generate and sustain critical industry skills and infrastructure. It is also anticipated that the project will result in the transfer of appropriate technology to Australian Industry. Favourable consideration will be given to those companies providing assembly in Australia, subject to value for money considerations.

Each RFT will also require offers on the support of the fleet segments and will seek from industry the acceptance of a strategic agreement with Defence to guarantee the whole of life acquisition and logistic support of the new fleet, potentially for the next 30 years.

An industry briefing will be conducted in Melbourne in the week of 20 February 2006, with further details provided in the RFT documents. The RFT for all three fleet segments will close sequentially during May 2006, with cost and schedule estimates being presented to Government in 2007. The target date for delivery of the first vehicles in the fleet is December 2009.

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