Redback to bring Army some sting
THE Army will receive 129 new infantry fighting vehicles in response to Australia’s changing strategic environment.
CAPTION: A Redback infantry fighting vehicle on display in Canberra. Army will take delivery of 129 of the vehicles, to be built in Geelong. Photo by Andrew Green.
Making the announcement today, the Australian Government said Hanwha’s state-of-the-art Redbacks would be built at the company’s facilities in the Geelong region, supporting Australia’s strategic imperative to develop sovereign defence manufacturing capabilities.
At a cost of between $5 billion and $7 billion, the LAND 400 Phase 3 project will be one of the largest capability acquisitions in Army’s history.
Replacing the M113 armoured personnel carriers, which were acquired in 1964, the first Redback will be delivered in early 2027.
With its latest-generation armour, cannon and missiles, they will provide the protection, mobility and firepower required to transport and protect soldiers in close combat, giving them the highest chance of achieving their mission and returning safely.
The government said the acquisition was part of its drive to modernise the Army to ensure it could respond to the land challenges in the region.
The new vehicles will be delivered about the same time as the new HIMARS missile systems and landing craft, reflecting the Defence Strategic Review’s call for Army to be transformed for littoral manoeuvre operations from Australia.
The government said it was providing the ADF with the capabilities it needed to defend Australia and protect national security.
Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said the government was committed to investing in the security of the nation and the safety of Australian soldiers.
“We are also committed to supporting Australian defence industry so we can make more of the critical defence equipment we need in this country rather than relying on overseas suppliers,” Mr Conroy said.
“Our decision to build the Redback infantry fighting vehicles in Australia will support up to 600 direct jobs and more than a thousand jobs in the Australian industry supply chain.”
Read Sir Jeffrey Armiger’s thoughts on this news.
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At around $5 million each, I hope they are worth the investment. I also hope that the program runs flawlessly and that they perform without fault like all the other major assets that the government has procured over the years.
I was a much bigger fan of the Rheinmetall offering which would slot in nicely alongside the Boxers and make the Qld production plant even bigger for both vehicles to be produced at scale and exported – but I am not unhappy with this … maybe a little that the order number has bene scaled back, but we NEEDED to do something to replace the old buckets. Should have been done a long time ago.
At last someone with some brains in Canberra made a decision – must have been hard work and they will need to take sick leave and some counselling for the next 6 months to recover from their decision making ordeal!
The goss within the corps years ago was this vehicle was going to be bought. I supported the German vehicle as it linked in with our Qld production of the reinmetal Boxer and its use by 2 Cav. I think the Korean & Boxer are 6 of one half a dozen of the other. However rein metal is already set up, are making money selling boxers back to Germany so why not stay with them? And my biggest problem is the infantry will run these vehicles. Infantry hasn’t successfully run armoured vehicles very well since 5/7 RAR took over APC duties in the 1980s. To this day, infantry consider the vehicle operators as pogues, and there is no career pathway in RAINF for vehicle operators. This control needs to go back to RAAC. Just look at Long Tan. Call me old fashioned….
The GSC and export potential of the Redback – now Hanwha’s global IFV offering – will make 100 Boxers for Germany look like nothing. Richard Cho and HDA have the intention (and the permission from HQ) to make Avalon a global production hub and a back-up GSC for their home operations. Great result!
The sale of Boxers back to Germany was contingent upon them winning the IFV contract … so that probably won’t go ahead now.
It would be be a good idea to keep the production line going though, even at low rate production, just in case we need a lot more of them in a hurry.
What are it’s defences against drones like the lancet, which has been devouring leopards and Bradley’s, bushmasters In the Ukraine?
For every offensive weapon there’s a defensive. Trophy fitted AFVs would stop anti-tank weapons. Also ensuring combined arms such as air cover and Gerard’s would cover armour.
RAAC crewed or RAInf?