Projects

LAND 106 M113 Upgrade Project

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Current Status Point of Contact

Project Overview

LAND 106 was endorsed by Government in the 2000 Defence White Paper to provide a major upgrade of 350 of the Army’s in-service M113A1 vehicles. Approval to upgrade a further 81 vehicles was approved by Government in 2008, bringing the total to 431 vehicles. The upgrade will provide significant enhancements in protection, lethality and mobility while also providing improved supportability:

• Protection. Protection will be significantly enhanced with the addition of appliqué armour and spall curtains as well as a number of changes designed to enhance the vehicle's mine protection.

• Lethality. Lethality will be increased with the incorporation of a totally new electrically powered turret. The turret will be fitted with a quick-change barrel machine gun and a new day/night gun sight.

• Mobility. The upgrade includes a new engine, transmission, drive train and driver’s controls. To maximise the benefits of this new driveline the suspension, track and road wheels are also being replaced.

• Supportability. Improvements include new electrical and fuel systems, improved habitability and a range of new stowage layouts to meet the diverse requirements of the numerous user units.

At the completion of the upgrade, each of the variants will be designated as either an AS3 or AS4. These designations refer to the carrying capacity of the upgraded vehicles. The AS3 variant has five road wheel stations per side and a recommended gross vehicle mass (RGVM) of 15000 kg. The AS4 variants have been stretched by 666 mm, with an additional road wheel station per side and a RGVM of 18 000 kg.

There are seven variants of the M113AS being produced. These are Armoured Personnel Carrier (M113AS4 APC); Armoured Fitters (M113AS4 AF); Armoured Recovery Vehicle Light (M806AS4 ARVL); Armoured Ambulance (M113AS4 AA); Armoured Mortar (M125AS3 AM); Armoured Command Vehicle (M113AS4 ACV); and Armoured Logistic Vehicle (M113AS4 ALV).

The contract is structured in three stages to mitigate development risk for the Commonwealth:

• Stage 1 was the development and preliminary testing of two demonstration vehicles.
• Stage 2 is the design, construction and testing of 14 initial production vehicles (IPV).
• Stage 3 is the delivery of 417 production standard vehicles and the associated logistic support requirements.

Current Status

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Stage 1 of the Project was successfully completed in 2004 with the production, testing and evaluation of two demonstration vehicles.

Stage 2 of the contract is under way with eight of the planned 14 IPVs including four APCs, two AFs, and two ARVLs having been completed. Stage 2 included an extensive Test and Evaluation Phase, which was used to overcome a number of significant technical issues and to allow the commencement of Stage 3 of the contract. The IPVs of the remaining four variants are to be developed, built and tested prior to closure of Stage 2 of the contract. An ALV IPV has been built and is to commence Defence testing in the first half of 2009.

Stage 3 has commenced with successful completion of the Production Readiness Review for the APC in November 2007 and full rate production commencing at the Joint Logistic Unit (Victoria) facility in Bandiana. Delivery of the initial capability of sixteen upgraded vehicles (14 APCs, one AF and one ARVL) to the 1st Brigade in Darwin was completed in December 2007. The School of Armour at Puckapunyal and the technical school at Bandiana have received sufficient vehicles to commence training courses. More company groups of vehicles are being delivered to the 1st Brigade in 2009.

Point of Contact

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LAND 106 M113 Upgrade
Armoured Fighting Vehicle Systems Program Office
Land Manoeuvre Systems Branch
Land Systems Division
Defence Materiel Organisation
Victoria Barracks Melbourne
256-310 St Kilda Road
SOUTHBANK VIC 3006
Australia

Project Director
Telephone:+61 3 9282 6888
Facsimile:  +61 3 9282 6193

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Last updated: May 2009