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Rheinmetall Defence Australia today announced a proposal to establish a national infrastructure asset for military vehicles in Australia to underpin a 50-year strategic relationship between the Commonwealth of Australia, the Australian Army and defence industry.
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As the largest supplier of military vehicles to the Australian Defence Force, Rheinmetall will establish a military vehicle centre of excellence (MILVEHCOE), which establishes a program of continuous design, build and support for up to 10,000 military vehicles in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
The high quality, low risk facility would draw in a network of suppliers across Australia to deliver products and services to Australia’s growing fleet of military vehicles and open the way for these companies to supply Rheinmetall military vehicle programs around the world through the company’s Global Supply Chain.
Under the proposal, Rheinmetall would establish a regional headquarters for diverse military technology in Australia and transfer critical technologies and skills in military vehicle design, medium calibre weapons and ammunition, fire control systems, passive and active defence systems, electro-optic and surveillance systems, simulation and training systems, systems engineering and integration, and advanced manufacturing.
The proposal has been shared with more than 400 Australian companies in every corner of the nation over the past five weeks in private briefings.
It also follows a five-week industry showcase for the LAND400 Phase 2 program arranged by the Commonwealth, which ended this week in Hobart, Tasmania, where local companies were given the opportunity to present their products and skills to company executives.
“The roadshow completed this week provided a powerful demonstration of the depth of capability on offer across Australia,” said Rheinmetall Defence Australia managing director Andrew Fletcher.
Fletcher said the MILVEHCOE would create more than 250 long term jobs well beyond the life of LAND400 Phase 2 acquisition phase and establish and foster an enduring, vibrant industrial network for military vehicles, simulation, weapons and munitions.
“Rheinmetall is committed to transferring military vehicles technologies and skills to Australia,” Fletcher said.
“The company will also create industrial innovation hubs to enrich the economy and adjacent industries and enable Rheinmetall to mentor Australian companies to compete and export globally.”
Rheinmetall is delivering more than 2,500 logistics trucks to the Australian Army and is currently bidding for the supply of the armoured combat reconnaissance vehicle under the Commonwealth of Australia’s LAND400 Phase 2 program.
LAND400 Phase 2 project is currently in tender evaluation, and subject to final Commonwealth government approval.
Rheinmetall has already established an Australian industry network around its BOXER CRV and Global Supply Chain programs that include the following local companies:
• AW Bell: complex mechanical components for an international turret program;
• Cablex: electro-mechanical components, cables and harnesses for international BOXER programs;
• CAS: domestic and global freight and shipping services;
• NIOA: explosives ordnance capability partner; and
• Tectonica: situational awareness system for BOXER.
