The UK has confirmed that the Land Mobility Programme, aimed at enhancing collaboration between the UK and Australia on military vehicle development, is currently underway.
Responding to a parliamentary question from Luke Akehurst MP (Labour – North Durham) regarding progress on the UK-Australia partnership on Land Mobility Platforms, Minister of State Maria Eagle stated that the initiative is actively shaping investment considerations and decisions.
“As outlined in our December 2024 AUKMIN Joint Statement, the UK and Australia agreed to explore enhanced collaboration on Land Mobility Platforms,”
Eagle said. “We are doing just this with our Land Mobility Programme, which includes a recognition of Australian land mobility capabilities and how cooperation could mutually benefit our defence industries.”
The programme remains subject to cross-government approval, but it is expected to strengthen defence ties between the two nations, particularly in the area of armoured vehicle development and mobility solutions.
AUKMIN and UK-Australia Defence Cooperation
The Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN), held in December 2024, reaffirmed both nations’ commitment to closer defence and security collaboration. This includes joint procurement, technology sharing, and interoperability in key military capabilities, with land mobility identified as a key area for cooperation.
While the specifics of the collaboration are still being developed, the programme could see joint research, industrial partnerships, and potential procurement opportunities, strengthening the UK’s land forces while expanding opportunities for British and Australian defence industries.
Wow, more exploring and collaborating which will lead to feck all being deployed where its needed. No rush, the world’s a stable place at the moment.
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This makes the UK’s 500th collaboration program while buying just three land vehicles.
It seems these announcements are more about headlines than anything else while there isn’t much else going on, I guess for most it makes it seem like things are happening when in reality they are not, just more excuses to delay when decisions could have been made already. They either have the product you want or they don’t.
There is value in having the collaboration frameworks in place. If that doesn’t extend to actually developing and fielding any capabilities then that’s very much the government’s fault.
If they were in sync on other initiatives it would have been better IMO, I think the Redback for instance will be far more advanced and on time and budget compared to the Ajax
Different Vehicles for different roles,not comparible.
Redback is not an alternative to Ajax. Redback is a 40 tomne, tracked armoured infantry fighting vehicle capable of transporting 7-9 dismounts. It would be a good replacement for Warrior
Ajax has a different role, it is a tracked reconnaissance vehicle. Its Ares version can carry is it 4 or 6 discounts?, so not really a section personnel carrier. It is fine for transporting small fire support teams, such as anti-tank, MMG/HMG, infantry recon, plus snipers, AOP etc.
Thanks for the details, maybe still there is what to learn from the Redback vision to reality process, while the vehicles don’t share the same role, I don’t think they differ in size or complexity project wise
George, Redback is an IFV. Ajax is a recce vehicle.
Why don’t they do a collaboration with the Aussies for a new rifle ?
Bushmaster is already in UK service with special forces (24). They are well aware of its ability. Ukraine seems to think highly of them as do the Dutch. Hawkei vs JLTV is something else to look at. Australia is also currently producing boxer vehicles (including a big export order to Germany of all places), Redback tracked IFV & tracked 155mm howitzers ((Hanwha K9). A Redback with a 105 turret could be a good M10 Booker equivalent. There are more than Bushmaster that could be considered. Money to do so is a separate question.
Oscar Zulu obviously types faster than I do.
Very interesting thanks for the reply
Bushmaster I read is in the running for the Army. SF reportedly operate a few, I read 24.
It’s the only alternative to Foxhound I’d personally consider for the MRV-P. JLTV seems to be stalled due to higher than expected costs, so I’d can it and go with either of the other two.
Australian vehicles are built tough and reliable for rough conditions but they lack volume. This could be good for both parties.
Do they have skinny soldiers?
More overseas jollies, all official of course.
MoD staff with a few colonels thrown in.
Sounds good to me! Where can I apply? ;-p
I would think the main point of interest for the MOD will be the Bushmaster. Under the Army’s land mobility programme, they want a medium protected patrol vehicle in the 15′-20 tonne class to.replace Mastiff and I assume Ridgeback. Bushmaster is a capable and proven platform that looks to tick the right boxes and it would certainly be quicker and probably cheaper to collaborate on a UK version than producing a new vehicle from scratch.
Australia is currently manufacturing its Boxer CRVs at the new Rheinmettal factory near Brisbane. Given the UK is about to go down the Boxer production route there may be some shared lessons there.
The indigenous production of the Huntsman SPH is commencing at Hanwha’s new plant in Geelong. Given the UK needs to replace the AS90 there might be some shared interests.
The Redback IFV, also being manufactured at the Hanwha plant, has some advanced systems including 360 degree situational awareness for the crew using the Iron Vision helmet mounted display and external cameras to provide so called ‘see through armour’. Plus the Iron Fist active protection system (not aware if any UK vehicle platform has an APS fitted) but maybe some technical and tactical lessons to share.
The Hawkei PMV (Bushmasters little brother) has advanced electronic features built in (battle field management system, GPS, SATCOM, plug and play recon, EW and mission systems, RWS integration) with every vehicle essentially a ‘digital battlefield node’
There has been extensive testing of large unmanned vehicle platforms including converting M113 APCs and manned/ unmanned teamed convoys of logistic vehicles (the same HX series Rheinmettal vehicles used by the UK).
Australian manufacturers like EOS are producing counter drone kinetic systems like the SlingerRWS for cost effective protection of vehicle platforms.
So I think Australia can bring something to the table that makes this type of agreement mutually beneficial.
I need to speed up my typing. See my reply to Johnlee. EOS systems are apparently very popular in Ukraine, to the point that Ukraine is actually buying them themselves after using donated Bushmasters that came equipped with EOS RWS. The new anti drone RWS from Dielhl Defence (Germany) is actually an EOS Stinger with a rotary multi barrel MG (Diehl is EOS’s European support partner) rather than the normal MG /30mm cannon used by EOS. Lithgow Arms also have military rifles available in both the F90 & ACAR range. As both UK & Australia are both building boxer, there are also opportunities in boxer module development & manufacturing. There are synergies to be had if they want to look for them. But people love to reinvent the wheel.
The challenger 3 is tested with an iron fist anti drone anti missile capacity , but alas not in service . Maybe synergies on developing boxer variants and synergies on boxer parts and factory output. I think the uk has one of the largest orders of boxers around but I don’t believe the delivery time is going to be very fast . Each uk factory producing a very low monthly figure . Would be suprised if uk went down the south Korean road. Would expect uk to go Rheinmetal or General dynamics for any future ifv , tanks . Hopefully some good collaboration will occur 🙂
Redback and Thunder seems good options for the Australians and would do for the British Army especially as it means we aren’t fully reliant on German owned companies.RCH155 looks nice but K9 would be here quicker , and Hanwa might consider a production line for Redback. We should really look at Aus as a more reliable ally than the French who put fish about actual common sense.
Trouble is, the British army has no budget to buy anything extra. It is way down the pecking order in the services. When the pie had been sliced up.with generous helpings for defence nuclear and the Royal Navy and a small slice for the air force, there isn’t much left for army procurement.
The Army’s budget is just about all allocatef for the next.6 or 7 years. It is going to Ajax, Boxer, Challenger 3, some Dky Sabres nd this odd-looking Boxer RC 155 howitzer. There is a budget for some of the land mobility PPV programme and for.some drones, but that’s about it.
It would have been far better to choose Redback instead of Boxer for the IFV role and Thunder rather than RC 155, but that ship has sailed.
Was going to say something similar. We can look but can’t touch!