According to information published by the "ABC News" website on April 4, 2022, the first four Australian Army Bushmaster 4x4 armored vehicles were repainted with the Ukrainian flag and are ready now to be sent to Ukraine.
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Repainted Bushmaster 4x4 armored vehicle from the Australian army with Ukrainian flag. (Picture source ABC News Australia)
Citing the "ABC News" website, the first four Bushmaster 4x4 armored personnel carrier vehicles were repainted with the Ukrainian flag and refitted in Brisbane over the weekend ahead of their delivery to RAAF Base Amberley, where they are expected to be loaded onto a C-17 Globemaster before being flown to Europe.
On April 1, 2022, Army Recognition reported that Australia has approved the sending of Bushmaster 4x4 armored vehicles to help Ukraine in the fight against the Russian troops. The Bushmaster is combat proven armored vehicle that was deployed during combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the manufacturer, the Bushmaster is a very easy vehicle to learn. It would be very simple for the Ukrainian armed forces to use and maintain the vehicles.
The Bushmaster is a 4x4 armored vehicle that was designed, developed, and manufactured by the company Thales in Australia. The main role of the Bushmaster is to provide protected mobility transport (or protected troop lift capability), with infantry dismounting from the vehicle before going into action.
The Bushmaster is a mine-protected vehicle and provides a high degree of protection against land mines, using its v-hull monocoque to deflect the blast away from the vehicle and its occupants. The vehicle's armor provides protection against small arms of up to 7.62 mm ball ammunition, 81mm mortar fragments, land mines, and with additional applique armor, protection for armor-piercing ammunition of up to 7.62mm. The fuel and hydraulic tanks of the vehicle are located outside the crew compartment, while it also has an automatic fire suppression system.
The Bushmaster in APC (Armored personnel Carrier) variant has a crew of two including a driver and commander and can accommodate up to 8 military personnel. The crew normally enter and leave through a door in the rear of the Bushmaster, but there are also five roof hatches, the most forward of which can be fitted with a 5.56, 7.62, or 12.7 mm machine gun. Mounted on either side of the hull is a bank of four electrically operated smoke grenade dischargers.
The Bushmaster is powered by a Caterpillar 3126 ATAAC 6-cylinder, turbocharged and air-to-air after-cooled diesel engine developing 300 hp coupled to a ZF 7HP502 full automatic transmission. It can run at a maximum speed of 120 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 1,000 km.
