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The New Zealand Defence Force has welcomed the arrival of 18 Bushmaster NZ5.5 protected mobility vehicles for the NZ Army.
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The fleet of Australian-designed and Victorian-built Bushmasters are the first of 43 vehicles to replace Pinzgauer armoured high-mobility all-terrain military utility vehicles which were originally developed in the late 1960s.
The Bushmasters arrived at Trentham Military Camp on 25 May for testing and certification. The remainder will arrive throughout this year and eventually be relocated to home bases in Linton and Burnham Military Camps.
NZ Deputy Secretary Capability Delivery Sarah Minson said the new Bushmaster vehicles come in five different variants and will allow New Zealand Army to carry more troops, as well as offer greater blast and ballistic protection.
“The project team made up of both Ministry of Defence staff and NZDF personnel worked with the Australian company Thales to design a vehicle specifically for NZ Army’s use and the unique environments they operate in,” she said.
The Thales Australia-made Bushmaster represents a significant uplift in capability and protection for Army personnel as a troop transport vehicle with larger carrying capacity over an expected operational life of 30 years.
They also provide for up to 10 personnel with greater levels of protection against improvised explosive devices and small arms fire during peace and security operations. They will also be used for disaster response missions and search and rescue operations.
NZ Defence Minister Andrew Little said the arrival represents a milestone in the government’s historic investment in their defence kit.
“Bushmaster vehicles carry more troops than the armoured Pinzgauer and offer greater blast and ballistic protection to personnel,” Mr Little said.
“Our soldiers operate in a variety of challenging situations. The Bushmasters are multipurpose vehicles that will boost their ability to help communities here in New Zealand, the Pacific, and overseas, whether they are on peace and security missions, search and rescue, or natural disaster operations.”
“This Bushmaster fleet was designed specifically for our use. It comes in five different variants to carry out a range of tasks, including mobile communications and command hubs, troop transport, and protected ambulances.”
The Bushmasters will also enhance the New Zealand Defence Force’s interoperability with overseas partners, he said.
In December 2017, the NZ government invested more than $4.5 billion in 12 major defence capability projects, including $102.9 million towards the Bushmaster fleet.
Budget 2023 also included investment in world-class communications systems to ensure interoperability with international partners.
