AUSTRALIAN STEEL FOR LAND 400
Rheinmetall updates Bisalloy employees about local build Wollongong-based Bisalloy Steel Group will develop and produce the highest performance armour steel ever manufactured in Australia as part of a bid lodged by Rheinmetall Defence Australia for the Commonwealth of Australia’s Land 400 Phase 2 program.
Bisalloy will develop two new grades of high performance steel at its NSW operations to meet the protection levels required on the BOXER 8×8 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle, which is now under evaluation by the Commonwealth after twelve months of rigorous Risk Mitigation Activity trials.
Testing carried out by Bisalloy and Rheinmetall is part of a two-year certification and qualification process to meet the stringent performance standards of armoured steel required by Rheinmetall, considered to be the toughest in the world. To date, only two European steel companies in Europe are qualified to supply steel to meet this standard.
Rheinmetall Defence Australia Managing Director Gary Stewart said the company was proud to deliver the only offer for Land 400 Phase 2 that protected Australian soldiers with high performance steel designed, developed and manufactured by an Australian company, in Australia.
“The development of this new steel underscores the commitment shown by Rheinmetall and Bisalloy to protecting Australian soldiers and ensuring they return home from combat,” Mr Stewart said.
“It also highlights our focus on mentoring Australian companies to deliver the best possible outcome for the Australian Defence Force through research, development and advanced manufacturing.”
Rheinmetall is focused on working with Australian companies to build a sovereign military vehicle capability in Australia that supports the ADF through multiple programs including Phases 2 and 3 of Land 400.”
Mr Stewart announced the development before Bisalloy’s employees at the company’s Unanderra facility near Wollongong today as part of a company-wide briefing about Rheinmetall’s bid for Land 400 Phase 2 and the BOXER CRV, which was also at the Bisalloy facility for the occasion.
Rheinmetall will transfer technology, research and development opportunities to Australia and work with Australian SMEs to deliver this capability to the ADF. The company has already announced a dozen companies within its Land 400 team from NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. These companies have been selected to deliver a range of products and services to support the manufacture of the BOXER CRV in Australia.
Rheinmetall will establish a sovereign military vehicle capability for Australia in Queensland at its proposed Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE). The MILVEHCOE will be the global manufacturing base for the company’s new LYNX Infantry Fighting Vehicle and range of LANCE turrets under its Land 400 offer to the Commonwealth of Australia.
Rheinmetall will also establish an $80 million Technology and Product Development Fund as part of the Australian Industry Capability program for the LAND 400 program. The company has announced research partnerships with the Queensland University of Technology, CSIRO, Swinburne University and the University of South Australia.
BISALLOY Armour steel is a leading product for defence applications in Australia and abroad and is specified for hulls in Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC), Light Armoured Vehicles (LAV), Collins Class submarines, the Hawkei vehicle and the Bushmaster Infantry Mobility Vehicles in Australia, along with many APCs and LAVs worldwide.
Listed on the ASX and operating for over 38 years, Bisalloy is Australia’s only manufacturer of high-tensile and abrasion-resistant quenched and tempered steel plate used for armour, structural and wear-resistant steel applications.
Currently the largest supplier of military vehicles to the Australian Defence Force, Rheinmetall is delivering more than 2500 logistics trucks to the Australian Army under the LAND 121 Phase 3B program.
Rheinmetall is transferring critical know-how to local SMEs to support the sustainment of the BOXER CRV throughout the life of the Land 400 program. Local SME partners will also be included in the Rheinmetall Global Supply Chain, enabling each to export their industry leading technologies globally.
A network of trusted companies across Australia is a fundamental part of Rheinmetall’s offer to the Commonwealth. Each company will deliver a range of products and services to support the manufacture of the BOXER CRV. These companies include Melbourne-based Cablex, Burnie-based Direct Edge, Brisbane-based G&O Kert, Melbourne-based Hilton Manufacturing, Perth-based Hoffman Engineering, Melbourne-based Nezkot Precision Tooling and Engineering, Adelaide-based Plasteel and Adelaide-based Redarc.
