Ted O’Brien MP has congratulated Rheinmetall Defence Australia after the first BOXER Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle was officially handed over to the Commonwealth Government.
The Member for Fairfax lead a bloc of federal LNP Senators and MPs referred to as Team Queensland, in a campaign to secure the $5.2 billion dollar contract for Queensland.
Land 400 – Phase 2 is the Australian Army’s largest acquisition project in its history.
“The Coalition Government’s massive capital program for the Australian defence force has birthed a new industry of high tech military vehicles in Queensland, and the delivery of the first BOXER CRV is evidence that investment is starting to bear fruit,” Mr O’Brien said.
“This project may be the largest project in the history of the Australian Amy to date but it’s the tip of a spear for the Australian workers and businesses that connect with Rheinmetall’s supply chain.”
In total, 211 BOXERs will be built creating hundreds of jobs and supporting dozens of local small and medium businesses. Supporting and maintaining the fleet over its lifetime will also be worth more than $10 billion to Australian industry.
And Phase 2 is about to be eclipsed by Phase 3 – a $15 billion project to acquire 450 Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) and a Manoeuvre Support Vehicle capability comprising 17 vehicles.
Only last week Rheinmetall Defence Australia was also down selected for the Phase 3 contract, along with Hanwha Defense Australia, a South Korean company currently basing itself out of Victoria.
Rheinmetall has stated it will build its tracked IFV – LYNX – out of its Queensland Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence.
The two contenders will now progress to the Risk Mitigation Activity stage.