Testing completed for new Australian LAND 400 combat vehicles

Testing to support the selection process for the Australian Army’s new Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV) has finished on schedule.

Head Land Systems Division, Major General David Coghlan, congratulated the two shortlisted contenders, Rheinmetall and BAE Systems Australia, who have been involved in the year-long Risk Mitigation Activity (RMA) to help Defence choose the supplier of the new Mounted Combat Reconnaissance Capability.

“The RMA incorporated a test and evaluation program, a series of schedule and contract management workshops to reduce the risk to the LAND 400 contract, and working with defence industry to increase opportunities for Australian industry involvement in the program,” Major General Coghlan said.

“The test and evaluation program assessed the candidate vehicles and their support systems across a wide range of criteria, with a particular focus on protection, lethality and mobility.

“The program also saw the vehicles aboard the Navy’s new Landing Helicopter Docks and on to the Air Force’s C-17 Strategic Airlift capability.”

Major General Coghlan said LAND 400 has been subject to significant media coverage recently although not all the coverage has been as accurate as possible and some commentary requires clarification.

“In particular, during the test and evaluation activities, both vehicles were subject to simulated mine blast tests that were designed to test the survivability of the people, not the vehicle,” Major General Coghlan said.

The Commonwealth considers that both vehicles could move themselves once they conducted necessary maintenance actions from the test site to a nearby low loader for transport to repair and assessment workshops.

The results of the RMA are being used to develop part of the submission to Government for LAND 400 Phase 2 Gate 2 approval in the first half of 2018.

Source: Defence Media