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Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price has announced a $2.1 million contract for Perth-based businesses Advanced Braking Technology and VEEM, which will design and manufacture a specialised braking system for the Army’s Hawkei vehicle.
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The contract will help both Advanced Braking Technology and VEEM to diversify their customer bases worldwide and demonstrates their ability to meet Defence’s high engineering standards.
Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said Advanced Braking Technology was selected in May last year to provide a brake system for testing to Thales Australia, the manufacturer of the Hawkei.
Hawkei is a seven-tonne, 4x4, new generation protected vehicle with a three-tonne payload, designed to meet the demanding requirements of land forces worldwide.
The Thales designed and built Hawkei delivers class-leading protection, mobility and payload with unparalleled levels of blast and ballistic protection for a helicopter transportable vehicle.
“Advanced Braking Technology has been successful with its testing and will now partner with VEEM to manufacture the system with a contract value of around $2.1 million,” Minister Price said.
Hawkei is highly effective across a diverse range of mission profiles. Roles include troop movement, command and control, electronic warfare, liaison, surveillance and reconnaissance.
The Hawkei platform comes in a range of variants, including:
- Command;
- Liaison;
- Patrol;
- Logistics;
- Air defence; and
- Reconnaissance.
Minister Price added, “This world-leading technology is an example of the know-how Australian industry can provide for our Army and beyond. The equipment has been developed from the proven Failsafe brake system, which has been used extensively within the mining sector for many years, both in Australia and globally.”
The Hawkei has a large, air conditioned crew protection cell has seating for up to five occupants in the four-door variant, or up to three occupants in the two-door variant. A high level of built-in blast and ballistic protection is further enhanced by an add-on armour system that can be adapted to meet the threat environment.
The government signed an agreement with Thales Australia in October 2015 for the acquisition and support of 1,100 Hawkei vehicles and 1,058 companion trailers, for use in “command, liaison, utility and reconnaissance roles”.
The vehicles are being specifically developed to meet the ADF’s requirements for survivability, mobility, payload, communications, usability and sustainability.
