LAND 400 contenders BAE Systems Australia and Rheinmetall have tested their vehicles in an exercise at the Puckapunyal Army Base in Victoria. BAE Systems presented the Patria AMV35, while Rheinmetall presented the Boxer CRV.
Both vehicles showed significantly improved capabilities compared to the current Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAV) fleet, according to Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne.
“The Rheinmetall Boxer CRV and BAE Systems Australia Patria AMV35 are armoured fighting vehicles with vastly improved firepower, protection and mobility than our current fleet,” he said.
The vehicles are undergoing testing and evaluation as part of a 12-month risk mitigation initiative to decide which company wins the LAND 400 contract.
“There has been significant effort put in to increase the opportunities for Australian companies to be a part of LAND 400,” said Pyne.
“Projects like LAND 400 Phase 2 give us the opportunity to modernise our defence capability while creating hundreds of jobs in Australia and boosting domestic manufacturing.”