Dutch order Bushmaster mobility vehicles - Australian Defence Magazine

Philip Smart | Adelaide

The Netherlands has ordered 12 Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles from Thales’s Bendigo factory, bringing the Dutch total to 98 since its first order in 2006.

The new Dutch troop carrier variants will be fitted with additional composite armour, remote weapons stations and Thales’s SOTAS intercom system, with deliveries expected by the middle of 2016.

“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 CEO Chris Jenkins. “This export order shows their continuing confidence in the Bushmaster, its ability to protect troops in theatre 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 Dutch order, the value of which remains confidential, follows other Bushmaster exports to Japan and Jamaica over the past 18 months. The 1000^th Bushmaster was delivered to the Australian Defence Force in 2013.

The Dutch order, the value of which remains confidential, follows other Bushmaster exports to Japan and Jamaica over the past 18 months. The 1000th Bushmaster was delivered to the Australian Defence Force in 2013.

The Dutch order, the value of which remains confidential, follows other Bushmaster exports to Japan and Jamaica over the past 18 months. The 1000^th Bushmaster was delivered to the Australian Defence Force in 2013.