A Bushmaster disembarks during a joint military exercise in Indonesia last year. Photo: Department of Defence
More than 250 jobs in Bendigo have been ‘locked in’ after Canberra signed a $100m contract for 44 more Bushmaster armoured vehicles.
Thales Australia will build the vehicles in the regional Victorian city in a deal expected to support 360 jobs across the supply chain statewide.
The new Bushmasters will be used by the Army, based at the Edinburgh Defence Precinct in South Australia, as part of the 10th Fires Brigade.
Federal Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Minister Pat Conroy says the new vehicles “will contribute to the acceleration of a land-based long-range strike capability for the Army”.
“This contract underscores the government’s commitment to providing the Australian Defence Force with the capabilities and equipment it needs to keep Australians safe,” he says.
The Albanese Government spent more than $300 million in contracts for new Bendigo-built Bushmasters with more than 130 vehicles delivered to the Army.
According to Thales Australia, the vehicles have also been exported to the Netherlands, UK, Fiji, Jamaica, New Zealand, Japan and Indonesia.
Bushmasters have also been supplied to the Ukraine for use in the war against Russia.
Thales Australia/NZ CEO Jeff Connolly says the decision is a vote of confidence by the federal government.
“This is an important investment by the government in Australia’s industrial base that will deliver the capabilities our army needs …” he says.
“This vote of confidence in the Bushmaster platform means Thales Australia and its workforce will have the confidence to design and deliver future upgrades as well as next-generation capabilities for the vehicle.
“What makes the Bushmaster so special is our nationally critical manufacturing facility at Bendigo and its unique blend of the engineering expertise, technical skills, and dedicated workforce …”
The Bushmaster has been made in Bendigo for 20 years and Thales employs over 4300 people in Australia, across 35 sites, and supports over 2000 jobs in Australian supply chain.
