Hanwha aims to boost IFV production with facility expansion in Australia
Hanwha Defence Australia has accepted and begun fit-out of Stage 2 facilities of H-ACE in Geelong. (Hanwha Defence Australia )
Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) has commenced fit-out of Stage 2 facilities of the Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) in Geelong, Victoria.
According to HDA, expansion of the 32,000 m 2 armoured vehicle manufacturing facility will support the company's production of Redback infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for Australia.
Australia's Department of Defence (DoD) signed a AUD7 billion (nearly USD5 billion) contract with HDA in December 2023 to deliver 129 Redback IFVs for the Australian Army.
An HDA spokesperson told Janes on 19 March that prototype Redback vehicles are being produced in South Korea, with the first vehicles now at the H-ACE undergoing further development and testing. Simultaneously, the company is standing up an Australian-made production line for Redback at the H-ACE, the spokesperson said.
“The Redback brings together a range of best-of-breed technology solutions, from Hanwha and local and international suppliers alongside systems supplied by the customer,” the spokesperson said.
Australia selected Redback under its Land 400 Phase 3 programme to procure an armoured fighting vehicle fleet for future combat requirements, replacing the army's BAE Systems M113AS4 armoured personnel carriers.
Stage 2 facility expansion at H-ACE comprises a second production hall, an electromagnetic interference/electromagnetic compatibility (EMI/EMC) chamber, a heavy washdown facility, and a finished product store. It also features a 1.2 km test track including incline and deepwater test facilities, workshops, a systems integration lab (SIL), and a paint shop.
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