Hanwha Defense Australia (HDA) and Elbit Systems of Israel have agreed to support the Redback turret, built in Australia, for the global market.
Based on the proven and tested MT30 turret, the Redback turret was developed and modernised as part of HDA’s offering as part of Australia’s Land 400 Phase 3 project for up to 450 Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs).
The evolved variant of the turret will be built in Australia and integrated with the Redback vehicle at HDA’s Hanwha Armoured vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE). Construction of the H-ACE is underway at the Avalon Airport precinct in Geelong.
The Redback turret underwent a significant test and evaluation process as part of the Australian Commonwealth’s Risk Mitigation Activity, was successfully trialled by the Republic of Korea Army earlier this year and is currently being trialled by the Polish Defence force.
“This agreement will see the Redback turret assembled and integrated at the H-ACE for the Australian Land 400 Phase 3 project, if we are successful, and then for export for global Redback customers,” Richard Cho, Managing Director of HDA explained. “We will be working with a range of Australian suppliers to bring this important capability to market.”
“Elbit is fully committed to establishing sovereign engineering, production and support capabilities of its proven and tested MT30 turret in the Redback configuration,” Yehuda (Udi) Vered, CEO of Elbit Systems Land said. “The MT30 Redback turret is the latest generation in our family of manned and unmanned turrets leveraging the high performance, advanced, lethality, protection and situational awareness capabilities tested and fielded worldwide.”
According to HDA, the Redback turret was designed from the very outset to integrate advanced technologies such as Iron Fist Active Protection Systems, Iron Vision Head Mounted Display Situational Awareness System and the Spike LR2 Anti-Tank Guided Missiles. The turret is designed to easily integrate these advanced systems to achieve optimum performance for the vehicle rather than bolt on aftermarket solutions.
The turret forms the basis of the lethality solution for the Redback IFV, integrating a range of systems under armour with an under-armour reloading capability while providing more space inside the vehicle with its low profile non-hull penetrating design.
HDA’s Redback IFV is one of two tenders currently under consideration as part of the Australian Department of Defence’s Land 400 Phase 3 project.