Rheinmetall announced it had secured the support of the Queensland government in its bid to supply Australia’s A$18 billion to A$27 billion LAND 400 Phase 3 program in Queensland at its new Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) at Redbank. Rheinmetall Defence Australia and the Queensland government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that reaffirms a close working partnership to further develop the enduring and sovereign Australian Defence industry in Queensland and Australia. Both partners will also look to foster further industrial innovation, research and development, skills development and training.
The Queensland government backed Rheinmetall’s BOXER 8×8 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle for the LAND 400 Phase 2 program in 2017 and later partnered with the company to establish the MILVEHCOE south west of Brisbane as a national hub for military vehicle technology. The MILVEHCOE is now in the early stages of commissioning ahead of the transition to full Boxer production in 2023.
Rheinmetall Defence Australia Managing Director Gary Stewart said the partnership with Queensland was critical to the company’s offer for LAND 400 Phase 3. “Every Rheinmetall employee understands that equipping the Australian Defence Force with the most advanced combat and logistics capabilities is our primary objective,” Stewart said. “It is what drives us and it underpins our partnership with the Queensland Government to establish MILVEHCOE as a sovereign industrial manufacturing base for Australia to deliver programs such as LAND 400 Phase 3.” Stewart said the partnership with the Queensland government had enabled the company to invest heavily to establish a facility that is both a manufacturing contributor to Rheinmetall’s domestic and global programs and a focal point for Australian military vehicle technology development.
The Australian Army needs up to 450 new IFVs for combat to close in and defeat an enemy in the most dangerous and lethal environments for Australian soldiers. Rheinmetall has offered the Commonwealth the LYNX KF41 Infantry Fighting Vehicle as part of its bid for LAND 400 Phase 3. The LYNX KF41 is a tracked, highly protected IFV designed to meet the stringent military requirements of LAND 400 Phase 3.
Rheinmetall has established MILVEHCOE as a sovereign industrial capability for the continuous design, manufacture, export and support for military vehicles, turrets and tactical systems. The facility incorporates significant design, prototyping, manufacturing and system test capabilities, including a mobility test track, medium calibre firing range and an electro-magnetic compatibility test chamber. Advanced manufacturing jobs are being created at MILVEHCOE in a wide range of technologies including military vehicle design, medium calibre weapons and ammunition, protection systems, fire control and surveillance systems, and systems engineering and integration.
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