Netherlands orders Bushmaster armored vehicles

SYDNEY, July 1 By Richard Tomkins (UPI)

The Netherlands' Ministry of Defense has ordered a dozen Bushmaster armored vehicles for delivery next year from Thales Australia.

The Bushmasters will be in the troop carrier variant and fitted with additional composite armor, Remote Weapon Stations, and Thales' SOTAS intercom system.

"The Bushmaster has proven itself on operations with the Dutch military in Afghanistan, and is a vital component of their Light Brigade," said Thales Australia Chief Executive Officer Chris Jenkins. "This export order shows their continuing confidence in the Bushmaster, its ability to protect troops in theater and save lives.

"It's also a tribute to the unique skills and in-depth expertise we have at our Bushmaster production facility in Bendigo, Victoria. Generating exports like this is good for us, good for our many local suppliers, and good for the economy as well."

The Bushmaster is a wheeled armored vehicle with a curb weight of more than 27,000 pounds. It has an operational range of 497 miles and has a speed of about 61 miles per hour.

The Netherlands previously procured 86 Bushmasters.