Hanwha Defense has signed an exclusive teaming agreement with Oshkosh Defense, one of the leading US defence companies, for the digital design phase of the US Army’s next-generation combat vehicle program. Under the partnership, Oshkosh Defense will participate in the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) program as prime contractor for systems integration, while Hanwha Defense is to take charge of vehicle design and manufacturing.
The OMFV program is a key element of the US Army’s Next Generation Combat Vehicle modernisation effort that includes replacing the M-2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle which has seen service since the early 1980s. The programs’ five phase acquisition plan will award the first contract in the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2021, with the first units receiving their OMFVs in the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2028.
“Bringing together the heritage of two innovative, reliable, and successful land systems companies, gives me great confidence that Hanwha and Oshkosh, with our other consortium partners, will deliver the next generation Infantry Fighting Vehicle the American soldier clearly deserves.”, said Bernard S Champoux, head of Hanwha’s US operations. The former commander of the 8th US Army stressed Hanwha shares Oshkosh’s demonstrated passion for quality and responsiveness to the customer. “Like Australia and numerous other partner countries focused on local production, Hanwha’s contribution to the OMFV solution will be built in America with American labour,” the retired lieutenant general noted.
Hanwha Defense’s OMFV bid is followed by the recent success in key combat vehicle programs. Built by Hanwha Defense, the Redback IFV was shortlisted in 2019 as one of the two candidates for the LAND 400 Phase 3 program designed to introduce next generation tracked armored infantry fighting vehicles. The Redback is now undergoing tests and evaluation for the Australian Army’s Risk Mitigation Activity. Hanwha Defense was also selected in 2020 as preferred supplier of the AS9 Self-Propelled Howitzer and AS10 Armored Ammunition Resupply Vehicle for the Australian Army’s LAND 8116 program.
A defence business arm of Hanwha Group, Hanwha Defense is the leading wheeled and tracked combat vehicle and weapons systems developer in the Republic of Korea with a half century of accumulated experience, capabilities, and technology in multiple proven direct and indirect fire solutions. It has designed and is developing the world’s most advanced Infantry Fighting Vehicle, the Redback, for Australia with its enhanced lethality, excellent power, superior situational awareness and best protection in class. Expanding its global vision, Hanwha Defense has provided over 7,000 cutting edge combat vehicles to the Republic of Korea and exports to Malaysia, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Poland, Turkey, and India.
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