Bushmaster & ASLAV
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“Bushmaster Bonanza at Bendigo” reads the Australian DoD headline, as The Hon. Dr Brendan Nelson, Minister for Defence, announces that Australia will buy another 250 vehicles. This brings Australia’s total Bushmaster orders to 668. After several years of successful service, the original order of 300 vehicles was cut down by 25 in July 2006, when Australia promised to deliver vehicles to the Dutch out of its own stocks, then increased by 143 via June 2007’s A$ 99 million order. This additional 250 vehicle order follows news that the Bushmaster will not be selected for any of the USA’s MRAP-I orders. The Australian DoD adds that they “will continue to strongly support Defence exports and the export of the Bushmaster,” as they did for the Dutch order.

The Australian Government will commence negotiations with Thales, but the Aug 18/07 announcement set an expected figure of over A$ 300 million ($about $240 million) fully equipped. Though Thales Australia (formerly ADI) does have a partnership with Oshkosh Truck in the USA, all Australian vehicles will be built at Thales’ Bendigo, Australia facility.

Australia’s “Hardened and Networked Army” push led them to adopt the v-hulled, mine resistant Bushmaster vehicles long before allies like the USA and Britain awoke to the need; Bushmasters have been deployed to East Timor, Afghanistan, and Iraq.