Nigel Pittaway | Melbourne
BAE Systems unveiled its Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle competitor for Land 400 Phase 2 last week, when it presented the AMV35 to industry for the first time in Melbourne.
BAE Systems and Patria are teaming for Land 400 and the AMV35 is a ‘MOTS Plus’ response to the requirement, combining Patria’s Armoured Modular Vehicle (AMV) with a BAE Systems Hägglunds CV9035 turret system and ATK Bushmaster III 35mm cannon.
The AMV35 was on show to invited industry guests – including many of BAE Systems’ suppliers - at APV Safety Product’s facility in Campbellfield, on Melbourne’s northern outskirts on June 2. The event marks the beginning of a national tour which will display the vehicle to industry.
"If we are fortunate to be selected to supply the Army’s next CRV, it will be built in Australia."
Brian Gathright, Land 400 Capture Manager used the opportunity to explain that BAE Systems had been focussing on the Phase 2 tender and upcoming Risk Mitigation Activity (RMA), and said that he was comfortable with the Australian Industry Content (AIC) aspect of the Commonwealth requirements.
“All options are on the table with regard to where in Australia the AMV35 will be manufactured, there has been no decision made,” he said. “But make no mistake; the BAE Systems tender is unambiguous about Australian manufacture. If we are fortunate to be selected to supply the Army’s new CRV, it will be built in Australia.”
Gathright said that the plan is to build the first tranche of vehicles in Finland, using the opportunity to up-skill Australian workers in the process. “Eighty five per cent of the vehicles will be delivered from the Australian production line,” he added.
BAE Systems said the Melbourne industry event was the first of several to be held across Australia as the company seeks to expand its national supply chain in anticipation of local manufacture and it has pledged to work with its international partners to identify global supply chain opportunities for Australian SMEs.
Three AMV35 vehicles have been built as part of the RMA and two arrived in Australia in May. The third has been retained in Europe as the integration test vehicle for the Elbit Battle Management System (BMS) and will be on display at Eurosatory Defence and Security Exhibition in Paris next week.