CASR

Canadian
American
Strategic
Review

Australian Defence Force  –  Afghan Mission  –  Land Vehicles  –  November  2008 Afghan  Mission  creates  Immediate  Needs  for  the  ADF Especially  Land  Vehicles  with  Protection  against  IEDs Edited  excerpts  from  two  articles  published  in  The  Australian  newspaper  [1] Australian  Defence  Minister  focuses  on  equipment  for  current  Afghan  Mission Joel  Fitzgibbon  told  The  Australian  that,  given  the  department's  $22  Billion budget, he  was  disappointed  that  there  were  not  more  capabilities  "to do  the  things  we do on  a  regular  basis".  He was  highly critical of  the previous government's  procurement record.   He  stressed  that  his  first  priority  was  to  ensure  that  the  ADF  had  all  the capability and  protection  needed  to  operate  in  Afghanistan  as efficiently as possible. "We spend a lot of time thinking about important capabilities, looking far into the future, but we seem to spend much less time talking about the capabilities we need [ right now].  The next Defence White Paper  will examine shortfalls which  have created  'hollowness'  within  the  Australian  Defence  Force.  Mr Fitzgibbon said  that,  though  the  Conservatives  were  good  at   spending  money  on  defence ,  they  had  failed  to  manage  the  budget. The  minister  has  talked  to  Defence Chief  Angus Houston  on  ADF equipment  needs.  Mr  Fitzgibbon  said  that  the two men  were both  ' singing  from  the same  hymn  book '. Australia  joins  the  US  in  developing  a  new  generation  of  light  armoured  vehicles These new armoured vehicles will provide troops with far better protection against the ever-growing threat posed by roadside bombs.  The Australian Army is also to get an extra eighty-one upgraded M113 armoured personnel carriers at a cost of $220 Million. The Army is well on the way to implementing a $4.6 Billion overhaul of its vehicle fleet with the focus on protecting soldiers from the potent threat posed by roadside bombs and other high explosive devices. Over the next decade, the Army will acquire (under the Land 121 project)  about 7000 new vehicles and trailers,  ranging  from  [G-wagons]  to heavy trucks.  Defence Minister  Joel Fitzgibbon  is  expected  to  announce  that  the  Australian  Department  of  Defence  will join the technology  demonstration  phase of  the US  Joint Light Tactical Vehicle  (JLTV) program  [ an ADI Product Development]  by which  the Pentagon  plans to replace  more than  60,000 Humvee vehicles  in  the US Army and US Marine Corps,  starting  from 2012. The  threat  posed  by  improvised  explosive  devices  (IEDs)  has prompted  a rethink by the US and its allies on  how best  to transport and  protect troops in combat zones. Both the  Iraq  and  Afghanistan  conflicts  have  revealed  the  inadequate  design  of  current trucks and vehicles in the face of  increasingly  powerful  IEDs being used by insurgents. The  JLTV  program  that  Australia  will join  was planned  to  provide  a  more  survivable and  versatile  light  armoured  vehicle,  which  can  also carry a  greater  payload.  For  the Australian  Army,  these  new,  light,  highly-mobile vehicles  will  perform combat support roles,  including:  command,  liaison, and  light  battlefield  resupply. Mr  Fitzgibbon  said  that  the  final  decision on  whether  Australia will acquire the JLTV would  be  made  once  the  vehicles  had  passed  all  the  key  development  and  testing milestones  in 2010. Through this  JLTV  program,  both  Australia and  the US  will invest heavily  in  new  materials  and  advanced  technologies.  These  investments will give the best possible  protection  for  troops  on  combat  operations,  especially  in  Afghanistan. If  the  JLTV  were  selected,  Mr  Fitzgibbon  assured  the  citizenry  that  there  would  be opportunities for Australian  industry  to manufacture vehicle trailers and also to provide maintenance  support  for  the  new  fleet. Other Light Armoured Vehicle  Acquisitions  –  Upgrades,  Follow-Ons,  and  New  Buys The  M113  upgrade  is  already  delivering  350  upgraded  vehicles. The extra  81 M113s will  be  delivered  to  the  Army's  newly - raised  battalion,  7  RAR,  and  to  the  5  RAR, another  mechanised  infantry  battalion,  currently  based  in  Darwin. The  DMO  (Defence  Materiel  Organization)  has  also  signed  a  new  contract  for  an additional  293   Bushmaster  vehicles  for  the  Army  which  will  increase  the  planned production  run  to  737  vehicles. Special Operations Command troops, the SAS and commandos, can expect to be driving a new vehicle, the British-made Supacat.  (Named the Nary in honour of  Warrant Officer David  Nary ,  who  died  during a  Middle  East  pre-deployment  operation  in  2005.) Eight  Nary trial vehicles (see above) are scheduled for transfer to the Special Air Service Regiment [ SASR ]  in November 2008.  Special  forces  have been allocated  31 new Nary patrol vehicles, which will replace the SASR's fleet of ageing Long Range Patrol Vehicles. [1]    The  original  articles  were  published  in  The  Australian ,  29  & 30  October  2008.          The  reports  were  written  by  Patrick  Walters ,  the  editor  for  national  security.