Major Programs: Latest Coverage

AH-64E Apache ‘Guardian’ Attack Helicopter

Announced in May 2022, Australia will acquire a fleet of 29 Boeing-built AH-64E “Guardian” variant of the Apache attack helicopter as part of the AU$5.5 billion LAND 4503 Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter replacement program. The AH-64E is ...

MQ-4C Triton Uncrewed Aircraft System

The MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) remotely piloted aircraft system is a high-altitude aircraft that will be used for maritime patrol and other surveillance roles. Australia's Triton fleet will be based at RAAF Base Tindal, ...

P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft

Australia currently operates a fleet of 12 P-8A aircraft, with an additional two aircraft on order, which are operated by No. 11 and No. 292 Squadrons at RAAF Base Edinburgh. The P-8A Poseidon has deployed on a vast number of operations and ...

AS9 Huntsman Self-Propelled Howitzer

Announced in 2019 as part of the AU$900 million–AU$1.3 billion LAND 8116 Phase 1 project, Australia will acquire a fleet of 42 AS9 Huntsman vehicles and AS10 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles to be built at Hanwha Defense Australia's ...

Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle

Rheinmetall Defence Australia was announced as the preferred tenderer for the AU$5.2 billion LAND 400 Phase 2 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle program to replace the Australian Army's ageing Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAV). As part of the ...

F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter

Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is billed as a catalyst for the fifth-generation revolution, changing the face and capability of the Royal Australian Air Force and the wider Australian Defence Force. For the RAAF, the F-35A’s ...

M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System

First announced in mid-2022, the Lockheed Martin-built M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) will provide the Australian Army with a next-generation, long-range strike capability. Australia initially committed to a batch of 20 HIMARS ...

AS21 Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Hanwha Defense Australia was announced as the successful tenderer for the AU$5–7 billion LAND 400 Phase 3 program to replace Australia's Cold War-era fleet of M113AS4 armoured personnel carriers. The government's Defence Strategic Review ...

UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopter

Australia will acquire a fleet of 40 Sikorsky UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters, under a foreign military sale with the United States worth AU$2.85 billion, to replace Australia’s fleet of MRH-90 Taipan helicopters as part of LAND 4507 Phase 1. The ...

MH-60R Romeo Seahawk

The Sikorsky-built MH-60R Romeo Seahawk provides the Royal Australian Navy with a leading-edge, shipborne anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, command and control, vertical replenishment, and search and rescue capabilities. An evolution of the ...

E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control Aircraft

Boeing’s E-7A Wedgetail was developed for the Royal Australian Air Force, with the first two aircraft delivered in late 2009 following a series of delays through the development process. The Wedgetail provides Australia with the world’s ...

KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport Aircraft

Based on the Airbus commercial A330 airliner, the KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft provides the Australian Defence Force and its allies with a global reach, aerial refuelling, and airlift capability. The KC-30A features advanced ...

M1A2 System Enhancement Program Version 3 Abrams Main Battle Tank

Australia is replacing its ageing fleet of 59 M1A1 Abrams with 75 of the latest generation M1A2 System Enhancement Program Version 3 (SEPv3) main battle tanks as part of the AU$3.5 billion LAND 907 Phase 2 project. The Abrams SEPv3 variant retains ...

F/A-18F Super Hornet and E/A-18G Growler

Australia currently operates a fleet of 24 F-18 E/F Super Hornet with 12 E/A-18G Growler aircraft, originally acquired to prevent a capability gap between the retirement of the RAAF’s legacy F-18 A/B Hornets and the introduction of the F-35A ...

National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS)

Australia selected the Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace-designed National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) in 2017 to be built in Australia by Raytheon Australia in partnership with Kongsberg Defence Australia. The AU$2.5 billion ...