Thales and Rheinmetall team up to support Aussie Land 400 programme
The Boxer CRV programme is worth A$5.9 billion in total. (Photo: Rheinmetall)
Thales Australia will manufacture components for the Rheinmetall MK 30-2 30mm cannon that will equip the Boxer CRV.
The Australian Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price and the Minister for Veteran’s Affairs Andrew Gee announced on 28 September a new manufacturing partnership between Rheinmetall Defence Australia and Thales Australia to support the Land 400 Phase 2 programme.
Thales Australia’s Lithgow facility in New South Wales has commenced manufacturing components for the Rheinmetall MK 30-2 30mm cannon that will equip the Boxer CRV.
According to Thales, this partnership will provide substantial technology transfer to Australia in support of a number of defence projects with a target of 100% Australian Industry Capability.
It ‘will be a significant driver of growth in sovereign capability, boosting investment in SMEs, R&D and delivering long-term jobs,’ the press release noted.
The joint effort will also look at transferring to Australia the manufacture and sustainment of a range of mounted weapons, combining Thales Australia’s manufacturing expertise and domestic supplier base with Rheinmetall’s mounted weapons.
As Thales pointed out, approximately 50% of the work in Lithgow facility will be done by SME suppliers, and the overall Australian Industrial Capability is already over 85%.
The first samples manufactured in Australia have already passed quality control checks by Rheinmetall Defence in Germany.
Shephard Defence Insight notes that Land 400 Phase 2 is the largest and most expensive project in the history of the Australian Army.
In total, the programme is worth A$5.879 billion ($3.912 billion), which covers both procurement of Boxer platforms and initial sustainment costs.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Land 400 Phase 2 - Boxer CRV (Australia)
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
![Latest UK Army Warfighting Experiment urban exercise underway]()
Latest UK Army Warfighting Experiment urban exercise underway
The series of exercises focuses on war fighting in the urban environment with the intention of aligning experimentation to tactical functions and integrating them all during a final experiment.
-
![Avon Protection contracted to develop integration between CBRN masks and suits]()
Avon Protection contracted to develop integration between CBRN masks and suits
Avon Protection has supplied millions of M50/M51 and M53/M53A1 air purifying respirators (APRs) in use across all branches of the US military for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) protection.
-
![Australian tank delivery schedule moved earlier]()
Australian tank delivery schedule moved earlier
Australia has ordered 75 ex-US Army M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks (MBTs) upgraded to the M1A2 System Enhancement Package version 3 standard (SEPv3) to expand and replace its existing fleet of 59 M1A1 tanks.
-
![HII awarded contract to support US ground vehicles]()
HII awarded contract to support US ground vehicles
The Department of Defense Information Analysis Center (DoDIAC) provides technical data management and research support for vehicle users. The HII contract will focus on ground combat systems and service lifecycle efforts.
