The Australian Defence Force has built a reputation as being one of the most respected and formidable militaries in modern times, and that quite simply comes down to the members of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
While Australia pauses to remember and give thanks to those who served and sacrificed for our nation today, we wanted to explore some of the fleet of vehicles our servicemen and women rely on to help complete their missions safely.
The ADF is in the privileged position of being able to pick and choose from the very best equipment available from our allies around the world – but we also modify them to suit our needs.
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When there isn’t anything fit for purpose, our local industry’s talented pool of engineers, scientists, and fabricators will design and manufacture something to suit.
Here’s a look at just some of the vehicles used by the Australian Defence Force.
DAGOR
Designed and manufactured by Polaris, the Deployable Advanced Ground Off-Road vehicle is like a grown-up version of a side-by-side (UTV), weighing around 2000kg but utilising many commercial off-the-shelf parts.
This includes the powertrain, which is understood to be a diesel engine – capable of running on different fuels – though exact specifications aren’t published.
Accommodating up to nine soldiers, the DAGOR can be configured in 48 different weapon configurations, with the main advantage being the vehicle can be quickly deployed using a variety of military aeroplanes and helicopters.
Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon
It’s been almost 20 years since the ADF announced the Land Rover ‘Perentie’ would be replaced by the Mercedes-Benz G-Class – with the German automaker reportedly being the only car manufacturer to submit a tender at that time.
A total of 10 variants of the G-Wagon have been provided to the ADF, including three- and five-door wagons, single-cab and dual-cab utes, and six-wheel-drive utes – the first time a military 6×6 vehicle has been built by Mercedes-Benz since World War II.
Closely related to the civilian G300 CDI Professional sold in Australia between 2015 and 2018, the ADF G-Wagon is powered by a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine making an estimated 135kW and 400Nm, mated to a five-speed automatic transmission with low-range.
While the transition to the G-Wagon took longer than planned – due to several issues with the incoming Mercedes-Benz fleet – the previous Land Rover Perenties have become a popular choice for buyers looking for a reliable and bare-bones off-roader.
The Perentie was based on the Land Rover 110 and 130, but with an upgraded frame and suspension, and powered by a 3.9-litre four-cylinder diesel engine from Isuzu – with a turbocharger added for the six-wheel-drive vehicles.
Supacat
The UK-made Supacat HMT Extenda is used by the Special Air Service Regiment and 2nd Commando Regiment, among others, for long-range missions requiring protection against IEDs.
Available with up to six wheels, the Extenda uses a modular platform allowing the chassis to be easily manufactured in a variety of configurations.
A five-speed automatic transmission is fitted to a Cummins-supplied 6.7-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine putting out 136kW and 700Nm, with a low-range gearbox and either limited-slip or locking differentials for off-road capability.
Hawkei
Produced from 2016 in Bendigo, Victoria, the Hawkei was created as a light armoured patrol vehicle to replace some Perentie variants, with almost 1100 vehicles being used by the Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force.
Weighing in at more than seven tonnes, the Hawkei uses a 3.2-litre turbo-diesel six-cylinder engine from Steyr, sending 200kW and 610Nm to all four wheels through a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and two-speed transfer case.
With a 600km range and a top speed of 130km/h, the Hawkei was designed as a mobile fighting platform with different weapon fitouts available.
However, the Hawkei suffered from several controversies during its time – both in regard to its procurement and its mechanical reliability.
Bushmaster
Also manufactured by Thales at its facility in Bendigo, the Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle is an armoured off-road troop carrier with several weapon systems.
Initially designed just to withstand small-arms fire, the Bushmaster has proved highly effective against improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and ballistic weapons – offering greater protection than ASLAVs and M113s in some circumstances.
Australia has so far provided more than 120 Bushmasters to Ukraine, with soldiers from Ukraine praising the effectiveness of the Bushmaster against attacks, while also speaking to its comfort and capability.
That’s partly because the Bushmaster was designed to be used in the Australian outback, and as such features a highly effective air-conditioning system.
Powered by a Caterpillar-sourced 7.2-litre turbo-diesel six-cylinder engine making 224kW and 1166Nm – driving the wheels through a ZF six-speed automatic transmission – the Bushmaster is also now deployed with militaries from New Zealand, Britain, Japan, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Fiji, and Jamaica.
RMMV HX
Manufactured by Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles, the HX is a heavy-rigid truck serving a variety of missions for the ADF.
It’s believed around 3600 trucks have been delivered to Australia’s military since 2013, ranging from 4×4 to 10×10 configurations – all powered by MAN’s 10.5-litre turbo-diesel six-cylinder engine making 328kW and 2100Nm.
As one of the larger tactical vehicles in the ADF fleet, the RMMV HX has an operational range of approximately 800km when laden, with a gross combined mass rating of 44 tonnes.
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