| The Project
Project LAND 121 (Overlander) is a multi-phased project to provide
the Australian Defence Force with field vehicles and trailers beyond
the life of type of the current fleet.
The ADF fleet of field vehicles transport personnel, combat supplies,
materiel, replacement combat systems, and, when necessary, evacuate
casualties. They serve as platforms for numerous weapon systems
as well as command, control, communications, computer and intelligence
systems.
Project Overlander interfaces with more than 40 other Defence initiatives.
The new fleet of field vehicles and trailers is expected to reduce
whole of life costs, rationalise vehicle types and numbers and capitalise
on new ideas from industry. The fleet includes six different basic
vehicle types, with about 15 functional vehicle variants. In addition,
about 18 specialist modules or shelters and nine trailer variants
will be acquired.
Acquisition of the new fleet will be through three separate contracts:
- light & lightweight vehicles and modules
- medium weight, medium and heavy vehicles and modules
- trailers
The total cost of this phase of the project is $3.1 billion. Many
specialist vehicle modules, trailers and all the Bushmasters will
be produced in Australia. This Australian portion is worth approximately
$800m.
The project which includes small four wheel drive vehicles, medium
and heavy trucks and large semi-trailer style vehicles, will replace
an ageing fleet acquired between 1959 and 1994.
Future phases of the project will consider further specialised
protected light vehicles, with a procurement decision on Phase 4
expected in 2010 involving a potential additional investment of
approximately $1.2 billion. In 2012 the Government is expected to
consider the final phase of the project to provide commercial vehicles
to augment the fleet for Australian training activities, at a cost
of about $300 million.
The Capability
Under Phase 3 of Project Overlander Defence will acquire in the
order of:
- 3,400 unprotected light and protected medium to heavy vehicles,
- 250 Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles (announced by Government
on 18 August), and
- 3,000 trailers.
The new medium weight through heavy vehicles will include crew
protection against projectiles, land mines and explosive devices.
The new fleet introduces integrated load handling systems to load
shipping containers and special pallets (flatracks) without assistance.
Modules are removable structures carried on vehicles to equip
them for specialist roles. These roles include:
- ambulance
- general cargo transport
- combined personnel and cargo transport
- mobile workshop
- command post
- computer and information systems
- mobile warehouse and store
They increase flexiility and availability of important capabilities
as, if vehicles fail, the modules can be swapped to other vehicles.
The trailers are expected to include nine different types:
- Cargo trailers from 850kg to 5 tonne payloads,
- Container carrying trailers of 10 and 16.5 tonne payload, and
- Equipment carrying trailers, including a low loader of nearly
70 tonne payload
The trailers will carry general freight, fuel, ammunition,
stores, containerised freight, tanks and other armoured fighting
vehicles, engineer plant and equipment and specialised equipment
modules and shelters.
The Companies
The preferred tenderers, subject to successful negotiations, are:
- DaimlerChrysler Australia/Pacific for light & lightweight
vehicles
(G-Wagon),
- BAE Systems Australia for medium weight through heavy vehicles
(based on the US in-service FMTV trucks), and
- Haulmark Trailers (Australia) for trailers.
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