Australia’s LAND 400 Phase 3 programme receives first high-capacity batteries

The first COMBATT 6T batteries for Australia’s LAND 400 Phase 3 programme have been delivered to Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) for integration into the Australian Army’s Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV).

Supplied by Epsilor, an Israeli-based smart batteries and charging systems manufacture, the NATO 6T Li-Ion batteries, marked ELI-52526-DM, can store 3.63kWh of energy which the battery manufacture claimed was “the highest energy density in the market”.

The LAND 400 Phase 3 programme has been described by Shephard Defence Insight as “formerly the largest and most expensive project in the history of the Australian Army”. The project saw one manufacturer, Hanwha Defence Australia, awarded a contract to produce 129 Mounted Close Combat tracked IFVs and associated Manoeuvre Support Vehicles.

Hanwha Defence Australia signed a contract for LAND 400 Phase 3 at the end of 2023 to supply the Redback IFV to the Australian Army. Hanwha Defence’s winning AS21 Redback will be powered by an MTU MT 881 diesel engine and armed with the EOS T2000 manned turret.

COMBATT batteries can support armoured vehicles, ground robotics, tactical energy storage systems, missile launchers and radar systems, according to Epsilor, who noted that the batteries have qualified for use in the US Army.

“While the Australian market sets a significant footprint in Epsilor’s global marketing activities, the global and growing demand for high energy density batteries for the Redback IFV, creates further opportunities for Epsilor to provide its COMBATT 6T batteries to new customers worldwide", stated Merav Kolody Shubeli, director of sales and marketing for Epsilor.

The battery will be displayed at Land Forces 2024 International Land Defence Exposition which will take place in Melbourne from 11–13 September.

Related Programmes in Defence Insight

Project Land 400 Phase 3 [Australia]

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

AS21 Redback