Australian government, Hanwha sign IFV contract

The federal government has signed contracts with Hanwha Defense Australia for 129 locally built Redback infantry fighting vehicles, to be built in Geelong for the Australian Army.

Hanwha was announced as the winning bidder for the LAND 400 Phase 3 program in July, ahead of Rheinmetall’s KF-41 Lynx vehicle.

“This is an important project for the Australian Army that will be delivered by highly skilled workers in Greater Geelong and other centres of Australian manufacturing,” said deputy prime minister Richard Marles in a statement on Friday morning.

“This is a significant investment that will properly equip the Army so it can keep Australians safe. This is another part of our plan for a future built in Australia”.

The fleet will be built at Hanwha’s $170 million Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence at Avalon Airport.

The first vehicle is scheduled to be delivered in 2027 under the project, which is worth approximately $7 billion

Hanwha is also manufacturing a fleet of self-propelled howitzers for the Australian Defence Force under LAND 8116.

Picture: credit Hanwha Defence Australia

Further reading

Defence announces IFV contract, but no word on who in defence is leaking

Infantry vehicle manufacturing to be scaled back ‘shortly’ – Conroy

Australia chooses Korean infantry fighting vehicle – reports