Bushmaster - 1,000 strong and still going
The 1,000th Bushmaster vehicle to be produced at
Thales Australia’s Bendigo facility will be delivered to the Australian Defence
Force this Friday.
The milestone will be marked at
an event at Thales’s Bendigo facility in Victoria, where the 1,000th Bushmaster
will be officially handed over to the Department of Defence.
Chris Jenkins, Thales Australia’s CEO, said: “This is
a very important day because the Bushmaster has become such a recognised
life-saving vehicle thanks to its performance on overseas operations with the
ADF and other customers.
“To have produced 1,000
vehicles is a testament not only to the Bushmaster’s innovative design and
technology, but also to the high quality of its manufacturing. This is due to
the skills and expertise of the workforce we have in Bendigo, where 200 people
are dedicated to ensuring the continued success and evolution of the Bushmaster
platform.
“Australian industry has played
a vital role in this achievement. There are around 120 companies in the
Bushmaster supply chain, many of them local SMEs whose hard work, innovation
and commitment to delivery have helped make the Bushmaster what it is today.”
“Working together, Defence,
Thales Australia and our industry partners have created a vital strategic
capability, fully proven and ready to produce the next generation light
protected vehicle, Hawkei, for the
ADF and export markets.”
During the event Thales
Australia will also formally launch its partnership with Soldier On and sponsorship of the 2013 Walking With The Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge.