Australia orders 268 upgraded Bushmaster vehicles in AU$750 million contract to carry more troops and equipment.

Australia is expanding its Bushmaster fleet with 268 upgraded vehicles to move more troops under armor and sustain operations in mine- and drone-threat environments. This directly boosts force survivability and mobility, ensuring units can deploy, maneuver, and resupply with reduced exposure to ambush and indirect attack.

The new Bushmaster variant adds stronger protection, higher payload, and improved integration for heavier remote weapons and counter-drone systems while retaining proven mobility and range. This turns the Bushmaster into a more versatile battlefield asset that supports dispersed operations, linking transport, protection, and networked combat functions in modern high-threat conflicts.

Related topic: Australia tests Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles with AI-powered counter-drone systems following lessons from Ukraine

The upgrades planned in the AU$750 contract will increase the Bushmaster PMV’s protection, payload, and towing capacity, while enabling integration of heavier weapon stations, counter-drone systems, and networked communications for coordinated operations. (Picture source: Australian MoD)

On April 27, 2026, the Australian Government announced a AU$750 million contract with Thales, equivalent to $536 million, for the delivery of 268 additional Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles (PMVs) to the Australian Defence Force. Manufacturing will take place at Bendigo, Victoria, starting in 2027, and the production tempo is set near 50 vehicles per year, implying a production cycle extending between five and seven years, depending on final throughput stability and workforce allocation. This order expands a production base that has exceeded 1,300 Bushmaster vehicles since initial entry into service in 1997, ensuring the continuity of an industrial line that has been sustained through successive orders in 2023 and 2025.

The agreement is embedded in a broader increase in Australian defense expenditure, with national policy targeting defense spending levels near 3% of GDP by 2035 and prioritizing land force survivability and mobility under new threat conditions. The financial structure of the contract indicates a program-level cost of roughly AU$2.8 million (or $2.0 million) per vehicle when dividing the total value by the quantity, although this figure aggregates integration, sustainment, and industrial overhead rather than representing a unit procurement cost. The acquisition of 268 vehicles follows earlier tranches, including 78 units ordered in May 2023 to replace vehicles transferred abroad and 44 units ordered in January 2025 for command and control roles associated with land-based missile systems such as the StrikeMaster.

In parallel, an additional AU$450 million (roughly $322 million) has been allocated to upgrade the Hawkei vehicle fleet, indicating that both light and medium protected vehicle categories are being modernized concurrently. Production for this new tranche is expected to be continuous, avoiding workforce contraction at Bendigo and stabilizing supply chains linked to approximately 2,000 indirect jobs. Export integration is built into the same production line, with the Netherlands referenced as a recipient under the broader manufacturing flow, indicating shared assembly rather than segregated export batches.

The Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle (PMV) is a 4x4 infantry mobility vehicle designed to transport up to ten personnel, including one driver and nine passengers, within a protected cabin optimized for blast mitigation. The vehicle’s mass ranges from 11,400 kg in kerb configuration to 15,400 kg at gross vehicle mass, with a Caterpillar 3126E 7.2-liter six-cylinder diesel engine producing about 300 hp and enabling a governed maximum speed of 100 km/h. Operational range is specified at 800 km under standard fuel load, supporting extended patrol or transport missions without refueling.

Protection is based on a welded steel monocoque hull with a V-shaped geometry that deflects blast energy away from occupants, providing mine resistance exceeding STANAG 4569 Level 3 and ballistic protection between Levels 1 and 3 depending on armor configuration. Armament is typically mounted via a remote weapon station capable of integrating 12.7 mm heavy machine guns or 40 mm automatic grenade launchers, with additional mounts for 7.62 mm weapons, reflecting the defensive firepower profile of this vehicle category. Operational use has included Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Ukraine, where the vehicle has been employed for troop transport, casualty evacuation, and protected mobility under high-risk environments.

Under the AU$750 million contract, a next-generation variant of the Bushmaster PMV will be delivered with several modifications focused on survivability margins and payload capacity without altering the underlying drivetrain or chassis architecture, which allows compatibility with existing maintenance and training frameworks. Additional armor is integrated beyond baseline levels, increasing resistance to ballistic threats and fragmentation, while internal volume adjustments support increased personnel or equipment loads within the cabin. Towing capacity is also increased, indicating a requirement to support logistics functions such as trailer-mounted systems or recovery tasks within maneuver units.

The structural reinforcement of the roof and mounting points will allow the installation of heavier remote weapon stations and mission modules, addressing weight limitations present in earlier configurations. For instance, trials conducted in 2025 involved the integration of a counter-UAS system developed by Thales Australia with Dedrone by Axon, using passive RF sensors and electronic disruption to detect and neutralize small drone threats while the vehicle is in motion. These modifications indicate both combat feedback from Ukraine and a focus on adapting to new operational environments, where aerial surveillance and loitering munitions are present.

Changes in weapon integration are centered on expanding the range and weight of effectors that can be mounted on the Bushmaster without compromising its stability or mobility, including roof-mounted systems with higher recoil and power requirements. The improvement focuses on heavier remote weapon stations and on the potential integration of precision-guided systems or networked effectors, although no turreted cannon configuration is included, maintaining a distinction from infantry fighting vehicles such as the AS21 Redback. The Bushmaster will continue to function as a protected mobility asset rather than a direct fire combat vehicle, with inherent limitations against heavy direct fire from anti-tank weapons or large-caliber systems.

The shift toward increased onboard lethality reflects operational requirements observed in Ukraine, where vehicles are required to provide localized fire support while maintaining mobility and protection. This adjustment will position the Bushmaster as a mobile node capable of combining transport, protection, and limited strike capability within dispersed force structures. The digital architecture of the updated variant incorporates advanced communications systems designed to support the Bushmaster's integration into network-centric operations, enabling real-time data exchange between vehicles and command elements.

The Australian armored vehicle is configured to interface with battle management systems, supporting distributed command and control and allowing coordination across multiple units in dynamic environments. The architecture allows integration of sensors such as electro-optical systems, electronic warfare modules, or counter-UAS components, although specific systems are not predefined at the vehicle level. Programs such as LAND 156 indicate a pathway for integrating drone detection and mitigation capabilities, including RF-based detection and electronic countermeasures. The use of an open architecture approach allows incremental upgrades to software and hardware without requiring structural redesign, enabling future adaptation over the vehicle’s operational life cycle.

The Bushmaster's modular crew cabin is already designed to support multiple configurations, including troop transport, command and control, intelligence and surveillance, medical evacuation, and electronic warfare roles, using interchangeable mission kits. This reduces the need for separate vehicle fleets dedicated to each function and allows units to reconfigure vehicles based on mission requirements. Existing variants include troop, command, ambulance, and electronic warfare configurations, and the new design expands the ability to integrate additional mission-specific equipment such as communications suites or sensor packages.

The modular design supports operational flexibility and simplifies logistics by maintaining a common vehicle base across roles. While reconfiguration timelines are not specified, the future system is intended to allow changes without extensive disassembly or specialized facilities, enabling adaptation at the unit level. The industrial impact of the new contract is concentrated at the Bendigo facility, where the production of the 268 vehicles is expected to sustain approximately 290 direct jobs and support a supply chain involving about 2,000 additional positions. Thales Australia employs about 4,500 personnel across 35 sites in Australia, and the continuation of Bushmaster production ensures the retention of manufacturing capabilities and workforce skills.

The AU$750 million contract also aligns with Australia's objectives to maintain sovereign defense manufacturing capacity and reduce dependence on external suppliers for key land systems. Export activity is integrated into the same production line, with existing operators including the United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, Indonesia, Fiji, Jamaica, and the Netherlands, while the introduction of a left-hand drive configuration expands compatibility with additional markets. Demand for the Bushmaster is also influenced by its operational use in Afghanistan and Ukraine, where it has been employed in environments characterized by improvised explosive devices and drone threats, reinforcing its positioning within the global protected mobility segment.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.