ZITAT
Queensland beats Victoria in battle for Army's $5 billion light armoured vehicle spend
By political reporter Dan Conifer
Updated about 2 hours ago
The Boxer CRV drives up a steep gravell and dirt covered hill
Photo: More than 200 Rheinmetall Boxer CRV's will be built in Queensland. (Department of Defence)
Related Story: Victoria, Queensland to battle for hundreds of military factory jobs
Queensland has won the race to build $5 billion worth of fighting vehicles as part of the largest purchase in the Australian Army's history.
Key points:
Defence expects the vehicles to have a 30-year lifespan
The purchase is expected to create 1,450 jobs across Australia
They will be equipped for peacekeeping and high-threat operations
German contractor Rheinmetall is set to build the 211 light armoured vehicles at a new facility in Ipswich, west of Brisbane.
The Federal Government estimates the acquisition will create 330 jobs in Queensland, along with 170 roles in Victoria, and 140 in New South Wales.
"Australian businesses will be big winners in Victoria and in Queensland, but also in other states," Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said.
"And of course, most importantly, we're providing the capability the Defence Force needs to be a modern army meeting the challenges that we may face at some stage in the future."
"The Army will get a very lethal and protected vehicle to look after our soldiers."
Boxer wins in battle with BAE Systems
Mr Pyne said the Defence Department recommended Rheinmetall's Boxer CRV following a three-year tender and testing process.
Federal Cabinet also considered a bid from BAE Systems, which was set to build the light armoured vehicles in Victoria.
Buying and maintaining the vehicles is expected to cost $15.7 billion.
The Government said this was a record purchase for the Army, and would create 1,450 jobs across Australia.
Chief of Army Lieutenant General Angus Campbell and another soldier climb out of the back of the Boxer CRV
Photo: The deal is expected to create 1,450 jobs. (Department of Defence)
Defence expects the vehicles will have a 30-year life, and will be equipped for peacekeeping and high-threat operations.
The acquisition will also see upgrades to military facilities at Puckapunyal, Bandiana, Adelaide, Townsville, and Enoggera.
Despite an intense lobbying campaign for the vehicles to be built in Queensland, Mr Pyne said "politics played absolutely no part" in the decision.
"The Rheinmetall bid was assessed by Defence as being the successful tenderer," he said.
"These decisions are taken very seriously by the Government and of course by the Department of Defence."
Quelle:
abc.net.auZITAT
LAND 400 Phase 2 decision revealed
After months of anticipation, Defence Connect can reveal that Rheinmetall Australia has been selected as the successful tenderer for the hotly-contested LAND 400 Phase 2 program.
Rheinmetall's bid, comprising of the Boxer CRV, has beaten out BAE Systems Australia AMV-35 offering.
The project, worth up to $5 billion, will see Rheinmetall deliver 225 combat reconnaissance vehicles to the Australia Army.
Under the company's offering to the Commonwealth, Rheinmetall will build a majority of the vehicles in Queensland. The first 25 vehicles will be built in Germany in a move Rheinmetall says will support the transfer of technology. Australians will be embedded into teams in Germany to learn the necessary skills before transferring back to Australia for the build of the remaining 200 CRVs.
While the first 25 vehicles are being built overseas, Rheinmetall will establish its manufacturing hub, the Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in Brisbane.
The MILVEHCOE was announced by Rheinmetall last July and will act as a sovereign industrial capability for the continuous design, manufacture, export and support for military vehicles, turrets and tactical systems.
As a centre of excellence, the MILVEHCOE will be the focal point for the LAND 400 combat vehicles, LAND 121 logistics vehicles and other complex defence projects. Under the LAND 121 Phase 3B program, Rheinmetall is delivering more than 2,500 logistics trucks to the Australian Army.
Rheinmetall has partnered with several Australian SMEs for the project, including Melbourne's Heuch, Cablex and Tectonica Australia, Burnie-based Direct Edge, Brisbane-based G&O Kert, Melbourne/Brisbane-based Hilton Manufacturing, Perth-based Hoffman Engineering, Melbourne-based Nezkot Precision Tooling and Engineering, Adelaide-based Plasteel and Adelaide-based Redarc.
Rheinmetall has also partnered with BlueScope, which will see the Port Kembla steelworks company deliver thousands of tonnes of feedstock for the LAND 400 Phase 2 project.
Defence Connect hosted Rheinmetall Australia managing director Gary Stewart on the Defence Connect Podcast last week. Tune in to uncover the breadth of Rheinmetall's Australian operations and objectives, it's focus on building sovereign industrial capabilities related to military vehicle manufacturing in Australia, why the company believes its Boxer CRV is the right choice for LAND 400 Phase 2, plus other key programs it's involved in across defence.
Quelle:
Defence Connect