A ceremonial contract signing was conducted by the Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull at Parliament House on 17 August 2018.
Rheinmetall's Boxer 8x8 CRV was selected for LAND 400 Phase 2 in March 2018 after rigorous trials conducted by the Australian Army. The Boxer vehicle fleet will replace the ageing Australian Light Armoured Vehicles ('ASLAV') vehicle fleet and will provide a significant increase in mobility, lethality and protection to Australian soldiers.
Lead partner
Sarah Ross-Smith (Infrastructure) commented: "LAND 400 is a transformational project for the Australian Army and will significantly enhance the capability and protection available to Australian soldiers.
"It is especially gratifying to have been involved in the Project since close to its inception and to have been able to assist during the strategic planning stages. The Project has pioneered new approaches to engaging with industry and increasing Australian industry involvement, which are now being emulated by other major Defence projects. We look forward to assisting Defence with future phases of LAND 400 in the near future."
The majority of the vehicles will be manufactured in Queensland. 1,450 jobs from the Project are expected to be created across Australia.
Ashurst has acted for CASG in relation to the LAND 400 Phase 2 Project since 2011. The firm has also been appointed to advise in relation to LAND 400 Phase 3 – Mounted Close Combat Capability, primarily enabled by Infantry Fighting Vehicles and Manoeuvre Support Vehicle Mission Systems.
Sarah was assisted by counsel Toby Mittelman (Infrastructure); partner
Jock O'Shea (Global Loans); and partner
Rehana Box (Insurance).
