The ADF has placed an order for $42,000 worth of body armour from Australian company XTEK.
It is the first time the ADF has ordered XTEK's lightweight small arms protective inset (SAPI) plates. The order will be sent to Diggerworks in December for evaluation.
The lightweight plates are made in Adelaide using XTEK's XTclave manufacturing process. The company said that the significant weight reduction offered by the SAPI plates over similar systems was a significant factor in the Diggerworks order.
"This puchase order represents a significant milestone in XEK's strategy to commercialise its proprietary product portfolio," managing director Philippe Odouard said.
The Diggerworks purchase follows orders from FY Composites, a major supplier to the Finnish Defence Force.
In addition to the latest order for ballistic armour, XTEK has also received a purchase order from the ADF worth $1.4 million for more Wasp SUAS. The Wasp was chosen to meet immediate needs under the first tranche of Land 129 Phase 4.