Page 25 - Australian Defence Magazine Oct 2020
P. 25

                  OCTOBER 2020 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
SUPPLY CHAIN LAND 400 25
 the process of issuing Approaches to Market through the BenchOn hosted Hanwha ‘Australian Industry Portal’,” a Hanwha spokesperson said to ADM. “We worked with Ben- chOn specifically as we saw a great deal of benefit in adapt- ing their current services to one which would refine and improve our interactions with Australian industry.
“With our hulls now in Australia all of the integration work to get them ready will be done in Australia and in coordination with our partner, EOS.”
Canberra-based Electro Optic Systems (EOS) will pro- vide the turrets and remote weapons stations for all vehi- cles. The turret, known as the T2000 ,will build on Elbit’s MT30 turret design by incorporating EOS’ fire control and electro-optics systems.
The turret has been designed from the beginning to in- tegrate technologies including the Spike anti-tank guided missile, the Iron Fist active protection system, and the Iron Vision helmet mounted situational awareness and weapon cueing system. A transfer of technology will provide EOS with the ability to manufacture, support and act as design authority in Australia.
Other key partners include Northrop-Grumman, Elbit Land Systems and Varley-Rafael Australia.
“EOS selected the MT30 turret as the electro-mechanical base of the T2000 not only because systems integration was done in design, but also the transfer of technology ensures the Australian Army can rely on EOS to support and up- grade the turret throughout its life,” the spokesperson said.
The T2000 is armed with the Northrop-Grumman Mk44S cannon – a weapon in service with 34 nations, including the US – and one that is able to fire steel and aluminium cased 30mmx173 ammunition from seven suppliers.
Both the turreted and non-turreted Redback variants will be equipped with the latest variants of the R400 remote weapons station, which is fitted to Bushmasters and will
soon be fitted to the Hawkeis and some variants of the Land 400 Phase 2 vehicles.
The RWS will be manufactured in EOS’ facilities, in- cluding the design and manufacture of thermal and day cameras, laser range finders, and the gimbal system respon- sible for providing the accuracy of the systems.
AIC
According to the spokesperson, over 85 per cent of parts are provided by EOS’ Australian supply chain, and success in Phase 3 would add further suppliers to this list.
Meanwhile, Wollongong-based Bisalloy Steel is respon- sible for providing steel for both the turret and the vehicles, including for the two prototypes that arrived in Melbourne in August.
“We have worked quickly and efficiently to ensure that we can pull Australian industry into our vehicles right from the start,” the spokesperson said. “Hence those vehicles ar- riving in Australia are built of Australian steel with a sub- stantial inclusion of Australian products and companies, including Milspec, CBG Systems, Learning Systems Analy- sis, Eclips, Dingo, No Bolt, Medina and Frontline Manu- facturing and an Australian developed turret.”
Whilst Australian participation is being sought across the whole program, overseas suppliers are being encour- aged to team with local industry on the bid.
“We are also working to bring key overseas companies to Australia to partner with local industry,” the spokesperson said. “We see it as essential to introduce a new technol-
ABOVE: The Rheinmetall Lynx (above left) and Hanwha Redback (above) are going head to head for Phase 3.
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