Thales Australia has also delivered two prototypes of its Hawkei vehicle, for verification and validation under the Department’s LAND 121 Phase 4 program, which will replace part of the Army’s fleet of Land Rovers with up to 1,300 light protected mobility vehicles (PMV-L) at an investment of more than $A1 billion.
“The speed the Hawkei team has demonstrated to develop these prototypes shows that we have the capability to manufacture and deliver this cost-effective and versatile vehicle in response to urgent requirements, as Australia’s only genuinely local manufacturer of protected mobility vehicles” said Chris Jenkins, Thales Australia’s CEO. In the development of the new vehicle Thales has leveraged the experience gained on the Australian Bushmaster program. The company has teamed with Israel’s ballistic and mine protection expert Plasan, Boeing Defence Australia and the PAC Group, to complete the development of the Hawkei vehicle on time. The Hawkei is characterized by a large protected interior space for crew, equipment and stores; four doors for easy access; Bushmaster levels of blast and ballistic protection; advanced technology for rapid up-armoring in the field; and straightforward reconfiguration between variants.
Undergoing a parralel evaluation at the Monegeetta Proving Grounds in Victoria, are two Force Protection Ocelot vehicles competing for the same program.
