Australia orders more Bushmaster 4x4 vehicles from Thales in vital orderbook boost
The Australian Army will receive 78 new Bushmasters to help replace those despatched to Ukraine. (Photo: Gordon Arthur)
Australia has ordered dozens more Bushmaster vehicles to replenish army stocks, providing a much-needed boost to the manufacturer’s backlog.
The Australian government announced on 17 May that it had signed an order the same day for 78 additional Bushmaster 4x4 protected mobility vehicles from Thales Australia.
The contract is worth some A$160 million ($106.4 million), and it will renew numbers in the Australian Army after 90 Bushmasters were donated to Ukraine in separate tranches last year. The order includes both troop carrier and command variants.
The vehicles will be manufactured at Thales Australia’s facility in Bendigo over the coming 18 months, with work to start immediately.
By Shephard’s calculation, this order will bring to 1,381 the number of
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 Land Warfare
-
![Laser weapon solutions are emerging as Europe confronts air defence cost imbalance]()
Laser weapon solutions are emerging as Europe confronts air defence cost imbalance
Europe’s air defence debate is increasingly shaped by the blunt economics of the field. While high-value interceptor missiles can effectively shoot down cheap drones, doing so at scale presents cost challenges.
-
![ARX Robotics expands in UK following British Army backing for uncrewed platforms]()
ARX Robotics expands in UK following British Army backing for uncrewed platforms
Following an order from the British Army, ARX Robotics has begun manufacturing autonomous ground platforms in the UK. Christopher Foss examines the company's growing range of systems.
-
![Textron unveils a smaller, low-cost variant of the Ripsaw family of UGVs]()
Textron unveils a smaller, low-cost variant of the Ripsaw family of UGVs
Ripsaw M1 has been designed to support the US Marine Corps’ littoral missions by carrying diverse types of payloads and performing multiple missions. Shephard spoke with Textron to find out more.
