Thales Australia said the vehicles will be built at its Bendigo facility in Victoria. The investment is expected to support more than 290 jobs and provide long-term production continuity for the regional workforce.
The company said the programme will help transform the Bushmaster into a more agile platform capable of transporting troops, detecting threats and delivering strike capabilities at greater range. The upgraded vehicle is also designed to improve survivability in modern battlefield conditions.
Planned upgrades include stronger armour, improved mobility and advanced digital systems. The next-generation platform will also feature greater personnel capacity, increased towing capability and the ability to carry more powerful roof-mounted weapons systems.
Thales said the vehicle will be designed to integrate a wider range of sensors and effectors. It will also feature a fully modular crew cabin that can be configured according to operational requirements.
The company added that the new Bushmaster variant is being developed with export potential in mind. It will include left-hand drive capability and next-generation communications interfaces for international customers.
Production is scheduled to begin in 2027. Thales said the investment would strengthen Australia’s sovereign defence industrial base and reinforce domestic supply chains.
More than 1,300 Bushmaster vehicles have already been produced at the Bendigo facility. The platform has been exported to eight countries, including the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Netherlands and Japan.
Hervé Dammann, Executive Vice-President for Land and Air Systems at Thales, said: “Thales is honoured by the trust placed by the Australian government on our world-class multirole vehicle, Bushmaster.”
“This major contract for the delivery of hundreds of combat-proven vehicles demonstrates how government and industry can work together to deliver what this country needs,” he added.
