Bushmaster order a vote of confidence in Australian industry

June 21, 2011 defpro.com

Thales Australia has signed a contract to supply another 101 Bushmaster vehicles to the Australian Department of Defence. The contract is a further vote of confidence in the Bushmaster, which has performed well on operations and helped save the lives of numerous Australian troops. The new Bushmasters will be used to replace damaged vehicles, and to support current and future operations.

“This success is the result of extensive R&D, engineering and Australian manufacturing expertise,” said Chris Jenkins, Thales Australia’s CEO.

“The teams based at our facility in Bendigo, Victoria, have wide-ranging skills and experience that enable us to work closely with the Defence Materiel Organisation and the Australian Defence Force to continually enhance the Bushmaster family of vehicles to meet evolving requirements.

“We greatly appreciate this vote of confidence by the Commonwealth not only in our own workforce, but also the specialist skills found in the many Small to Medium Enterprises that make up a significant part of the Bushmaster supply chain.

“Once again, this shows what Australia’s defence industry can achieve, and the benefits of being close to the customer while having the local capabilities to meet specific local needs.

“For our Bendigo workforce this will mean continued production through 2012. We will continue to vigorously pursue opportunities for the Bushmaster Single Cab Utility Vehicle and the new Hawkei in order to maintain the viability of Bendigo production. Export opportunities are also being pursued, with the Bushmaster already securing export sales of over $100 million.”

The contract takes the total number of Bushmasters ordered by the Department of Defence to 838.

The Thales TopOwl Helmet Mounted Sight and Display is based on a unique concept incorporating a night vision system with a 100% overlapped projection of a binocular image on the visor. Standard symbology is used to display flight and weapon management data, helping to reduce crew workload. TopOwl’s head position sensor, used during target designation and weapon firing sequences, enhances operational effectiveness. Pilots particularly appreciate the low weight and perfect balance of the ergonomically designed helmet sight. TopOwl is in full-scale production and currently over 700 helmets have been delivered. More than 1,600 systems will be in service over the next 10 years.