Hanwha Defense Australia-led ‘Team Redback’ has officially launched its LAND 400 Phase 3 Infantry Fighting Vehicle, the Redback, in Australia ahead of trials as part of a Risk Mitigation Activity being conducted by the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group as part of a tender process. The armoured steel protection for the Redback, which is named after a venomous spider found in Australia, has been manufactured and supplied by Australian based Bisalloy Steel from the company’s plant in Unanderra, just south of Sydney. All Hanwha Redback vehicles, including the turrets, to be delivered for the LAND 400 Phase 3 evaluation program are made of Bisalloy steel. From detailed design, qualification, and testing, Bisalloy has been a part of the process.
“I am proud to be able to offer the Commonwealth of Australia a world-class armoured vehicle made from Australian steel,” said Richard Cho, managing director of Hanwha Defense Australia. “Hanwha and Bisalloy have worked hand-in-glove to make sure that the class leading Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle is made from the best possible steel.”
The LAND 400 Phase 3 project, which is tasked to acquire up to 450 tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicles to replace Australia’s fleet of M113AS4 armoured personnel carriers, has a budget of A$18 – $27 billion, and is the first time that the Defence will have a dedicated Infantry Fighting Vehicle capability. The Risk Mitigation Activity involves detailed test and evaluation of the vehicles throughout 2021 with the aim of providing objective quality evidence to support a government decision on the preferred platform. The Redback is up against Rheinmetall’s Lynx KF41 for the LAND 400 Phase 3 project, which is due to announce a winner in 2022.
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