Amphibian bids are more than just a LARC
The Australian Army is looking for replacements for LARC-V amphibious vehicles. (Gordon Arthur)
The Australian government has advocated for a domestic design for a wheeled Amphibious Vehicle to succeed the army’s fleet of nine Lighters, Amphibious Resupply, Cargo 5 ton (LARC-V).
Navantia and Rheinmetall Defence Australia have teamed up to offer one solution, while Austal has laid its cards on the table as another contender.
Announced at Land Forces 2021, Navantia and Rheinmetall signed an MoU for a combined tilt at the A$800 million ($611 million) Project Land 8170 Phase 1, which is likely to involve the procurement of 15-20 Amphibious Vehicles. This overarching programme also seeks 13-15 Independent Landing Craft to replace the Australian
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Defence Notes
-
Intelligence innovation: From data overload to decision advantage (Podcast)
As militaries face an overwhelming flow of data, the challenge is shifting from collection to delivering fast, actionable insights that drive decision-making. Advances in AI and data integration are helping armed forces move beyond siloed systems to generate real-time intelligence across domains and allies.
-
SAHA 2026 to Convene the Global Defence Ecosystem
SAHA 2026 brings global defence and aerospace leaders to Istanbul for partnerships, launches, panels and high-value meetings.
-
Teledyne FLIR adds GPS-denied 3D-mapping capabilities to its CBRN uncrewed platforms
In a partnership with Emesent, Teledyne FLIR will equip its autonomous air, ground and detection systems with the Hovermap LiDAR payload in a move that highlights a broader market shift towards modular architectures, shared payloads and interoperability across platforms.
-
US seeks 32% boost for missile defence budget with $23 billion earmarked for interceptors
The Pentagon’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year includes an impressive increase in the procurement of interceptors, with the number of the US Army’s PAC-3 MSE rounds expanding by 683%, the US Navy’s Standard Missile by 365% and the MDA’s SM-3 IIA by more than 1,000%.
-
US Army partners with Global Military Products to surge munitions production
Global Military Products was selected by the US Army to operate the Quad Cities Cartridge Case Facility and ramp up the production of various calibre shell cases.
-
Growing a digital backbone: an essential capability for the multi-domain battlespace
Future operational superiority will be defined by the ability to connect systems, data and personnel into a wider network. For armed forces, this creates the need for a digital backbone that integrates and enhances sensors and effectors of all kinds.