Thales has launched a new variant of the Bushmaster protected military vehicle (PMV), the Multi-Role 6 (MR6), at the International Armoured Vehicles Conference in London.
Designed and manufactured by Thales Australia, the MR6 builds on earlier variants' battle-proven capability with the characteristic V-Hull retained for crew protection against land mines and IEDs, and is being offered for the UK's Multi-Role Vehicle-Protected (MRV-P) program to deliver future wheeled utility and logistics vehicles for the British Army.
Now in service in 8 countries, the Bushmaster is used in more than a dozen variant configurations in multiple roles.
Director of product line for protected vehicles at Thales Paul Harris said the MR6 has a new hull and driveline features and represents the sixth production run for the PMV, with 1,150 now delivered to eight customers, including of course the ADF, during the five previous runs.
New features include front crew doors allowing access/egress for two crew on either side of the vehicle. The rear spare wheel station on the right side of the vehicle has been removed to allow greater internal volume in the rear compartment, enabling a 2+10 seat APC version as well as a new ambulance version. The latter has an improved clinical space providing medical service to one prone patient and three sitting patients, with an option for an additional stretcher space on the floor. Two seats for medics are positioned rear-facing just to the rear of the front crew seats.