According to a statement published by the Australian Department of Defence on February 13, 2021, Hanwha Defense Australia and Rheinmetall Defence Australia have each delivered three prototype vehicles – two for test and evaluation activities and one for blast testing – as part of the two-year Risk Mitigation Activity.
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Hanwha Defense AS21 Redback and Rheinmetall KF41 candidates for the Land 400 Phase 3 program of the Australian army.
Australia has launched the Land 400 Phase 3 Program to provide the Australian Army with an advanced, cutting edge tracked armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle capability and replaced the old M113AS4 tracked armored APC Armored Personnel Carrier in service with the Australian Armed Forces (ADF) since the mid 1960's.
The new Infantry Fighting Vehicle will be a state-of-the-art tracked armoured vehicle, capable of carrying six soldiers in addition to a crew of three. These advanced vehicles will provide increased protection, mobility, and firepower for the ADF.
The Morrison Government’s multi-billion dollar investment in Army’s close combat vehicles has reached a significant milestone with the delivery of six prototype test and evaluation vehicles from the project’s two shortlisted suppliers.
Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said the delivery of the prototype vehicles is a crucial step in the project, allowing Defence to assess the shortlisted suppliers’ performance claims focusing on the highest areas of technical risk.
On 16 September 2019, the Australian Government announced that Hanwha Defense Australia with the Redback AS21 and Rheinmetall Defence Australia with its Lynx KF41 had been assessed as offering vehicles that are best able to meet Defence's requirements and to deliver a value for money solution, and have been invited to proceed to the next stage of the evaluation.
The KF41 Lynx is an IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) in the Lynx family of a tracked armored vehicle designed, developed and manufactured by the German Company Rheinmetall Defence. The vehicle was unveiled in June 2018 at Eurosatory 2018 in two configurations: IFV and Command Post. The KF41 has been designed to offer a new generation of tracked armored offering modularity and a high level of protection.
The KF41 IFV version can be fitted with the Lance turret which is armed with the proven Rheinmetall 30mm MK 30-2/ABM cannon and one 7.62mm co-axial machine gun. he KF41 Lynx has a unique design using a common drive module and a flexible mission kit arrangement to allow any base vehicle to be configured as an IFV, an armored personnel carrier, a command vehicle, a recovery vehicle or an ambulance.
The modular survivability systems of the Lynx provide unprecedented flexibility for customers to cope with the wide variety of threats faced across the spectrum of conflict. The ballistic and mine protection packages can be easily exchanged, even in the field if needed, while the full spectrum of threats has been taken into account, including roof protection against cluster munitions.
The Redback AS21 is also a new generation of tracked armored IFV developed and designed by the South Korean company Hanwha Defense. The AS21 provides improved protection and high mobility, while providing superior crew comfort. It will be integrated with a proven digital battle management system (BMS).
As for the German KF41 Lynx, the AS21 Redback has a crew of three and can accommodate up to eight infantrymen at the rear of the hull. The AS21 Redback IFV will be fitted with EOS T-2000 turret armed with one Bushmaster MK44S 30mm cannon, a MAG 58 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 76mm multi-barrel smoke grenade dischargers and two SPIKE LR2 missile launchers.
