Team Redback has announced the achievement of two key milestones in the validation of systems integration for its Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV).
Team Redback, led by Hanwha Defense Australia, has been formed to offer the Redback for consideration by the Commonwealth under an ongoing tender process for Land 400 Phase 3.
Team Redback includes Elbit Land Systems, EOS Defence Systems, Bisalloy Steels, ECLIPS Logistics, Soucy Defence, Milspec Manufacturing and CBG Systems. Hanwha says a growing list of Australian suppliers is being identified to support the ongoing Risk Mitigation Activity.
The Iron Fist active protection system (APS) was successfully demonstrated in late 2020, and several Spike LR2 missiles were successfully fired from a Redback vehicle earlier this year. Both tests were conducted in Israel.
“The Redback turret was designed from the very outset to integrate advanced technologies such as Iron Fist and Iron vision and Anti-Tank Guided Missiles” Gal Raviv, Managing Director of Elbit Land Combat Systems, said. “The turret is designed to easily integrate these advanced systems as you cannot achieve optimum performance for the vehicle and crew with bolt-on systems.”
The successful tests are key milestones in the validation of the Redback’s offensive and defensive protection systems.
“These activities demonstrate the combined capabilities of the Team Redback to successfully conduct complex systems integration,” Richard Cho, Managing Director of Hanwha Defense Australia, said. “We are mitigating the key technical integration risks right up front.”
The Iron Fist APS allows the Redback to detect, classify and defeat a range of threats. It uses integrated radars and electro-optics to detect threats and then defeat them using two double-barrelled launchers mounted low on the turret to provide optimum coverage and avoid interference from other systems and roof hatches.
The Spike LR2 is an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM); the Redback turret includes an integrated two-round Spike launcher.
“This firing is the last in a series of Spike LR2 tests from our turret and concludes the successful integration of the Spike LR2,” Raviv said. “I am very pleased to say that the turret and missiles functioned perfectly and scored direct hits on all targets.”