New Hanwha Defence Australia Managing Director to begin on Monday

Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) has announced that Ben Hudson will be the new Managing Director, effective on Monday.

HDA said that Hudson’s background includes working with and leading teams at BAE Systems, Rheinmetall, General Dynamics, and service in the Australian Army.

He takes over in the new role on June 2 from Dean Michie, who will become General Manager Corporate.

“With this leadership transition, we are strengthening our commitment to supporting the growth of Australia’s defence industrial base and further  enhancing the nation’s sovereign capabilities,” said Mike Coulter, CEO of HDA’s parent company, Hanwha Aerospace Global Defense, in a statement on Friday.

HDA is headquartered in Melbourne and operates the Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) in Geelong, opened in August last year. 

H-ACE is the site where vehicles for the LAND 8116 Phase 1 and LAND 400 Phase 3 projects – the AS9 Self Propelled Howitzer (SPH), AS10 Armoured Ammunition Resupply Vehicle (AARV) and the Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV, pictured) – are being built.

Picture: Redback IFV (credit HDA)

Further reading

Hanwha signs teaming agreement with GME at Avalon

Hanwha Defence supply chain companies share Victorian grants

$170 million Hanwha armoured vehicle factory opened