The Bushmaster’s V-shaped hull and ballistic protection are designed to protect its passengers and crew from small arms fire and roadside bombs. Photo: ADF.
The Australian Army will buy 40 more Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles – Medium (PMV-M) from Thales Australia.
Built at Bendigo in Victoria, the new Bushmasters will cost a total of $100 million. They will be employed by the 10th Fires Brigade at the Edinburgh Defence Precinct in Adelaide as command and control and support vehicles for phased array radar batteries. These batteries are part of the Army’s 42 new M142 HIMARS long-range fires capability, due to enter service later this year under Project LAND 8113.
The order follows two similar ‘top-up’ orders for Bushmasters for the ADF placed in recent years, the first for 78 vehicles placed in May 2023, and an order for 15 command-configured Bushmasters placed in July 2024.
The armoured Bushmaster has a V-shaped hull and armour that provides ballistic protection for its crew and passengers from small armsfire, and deflects blasts from mines and improvised explosive devices. The vehicle’s armour has been attributed to saving many soldiers’ lives while in service in Afghanistan and in Ukraine’s war with Russia.
The 7.2-metre-long Bushmaster weighs 17 tonnes and has a four-tonne payload. It comes in several different variants, including troop carrier, command, patrol, support, weapons deployment and ambulance. Troop carrier versions can carry two crew members and eight soldiers, while ambulances can carry up to four litters.
A utility version is also being developed to carry a two-pack of land-based Naval Strike Missile (NSM) anti-ship missiles, part of the Strikemaster concept offered for the Army’s Project LAND 4100 Phase 2 land-based maritime strike (LBMS) requirement.
The $100 million cost for just 40 vehicles suggests that this new batch will likely be equipped with the advanced communications equipment and sensors required to support the long-range fires mission.
More than 1200 Bushmasters have been manufactured since 2004 for service with nine nations, including 90 vehicles donated to Ukraine, and sales to New Zealand, the UK, the Netherlands, Japan, Jamaica, Indonesia and Fiji.
Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy said the Bushmasters will contribute to the acceleration of a land-based long-range strike capability for the Army.
Speaking to media at Thales’ Bendigo facility, Mr Conroy said as a part of the modernisation of the ADF the Government is equipping the Australian Army with long-range strike.
“We’re taking and transforming the Australian Army from an army capable of striking 40 kilometres to an army capable of striking 500 and then eventually 1000 kilometres away, which is all about deterring aggression in our region,” he said.
“As part of that, we’re standing up two regiments of long-range fires for the Australian Army to be based in Adelaide. As part of that, the second regiment is being established shortly…These vehicles will be providing what’s called command and control for that regiment. These vehicles will do the targeting and the coordination and communications that will allow that regiment to strike targets at range to deter aggression.”
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