The Australian designed and built Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle has again been recognised as a successful local produce with Thales Australia being awarded a contract to supply Bushmaster Protected Mobility Troop Variants to the UK and The Netherlands.

The Bushmasters being supplied are based on the current Australian in-service vehicle and include specific enhancements for the new operators.

The Commonwealth assisted Thales in securing the contracts by releasing production capability for the manufacture of the vehicles in exchange for additional vehicles at no cost - a win for both Australian industry and Defence. The new contracts also enhance the sustainability of an important Defence industrial capability.

“It is notable that some of the equipment provided to the ADF by Australian firms is now capturing the attention of military forces and planners worldwide,” said Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, the Hon. Greg Combet. 

“The Bushmaster is just one example of the export potential of Australia’s defence industry, with exports to the UK and Netherlands,” he said. “The Government wants to ensure that Australian industry, including Small to Medium Enterprises, are given every opportunity to compete for work, based on open, transparent and accountable processes.”

Defence is securing 723 Bushmaster vehicles: 300 as part of the original project, 143 as part of Army’s Enhanced Land Force initiative and 280 as part of LAND 121 Project Overlander. To date 345 vehicles, including 45 Enhanced Land Force vehicles, have been delivered. 

Significantly, Australian Bushmaster vehicles have been successfully deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan to support ADF operation since 2005. They have been designed to provide superior troop protection against anti-tank mines, improvised explosive devices, mortar fragments and small arms fire.

The new contract with the UK Ministry of Defence has been secured to meet an urgent requirement, and has been followed by the contract for supply to the Royal Netherlands Army.