South Korea’s Hanwha Defense has secured the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF’s) Land 400 Phase 3 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) requirement with its AS21 Redback, beating out a rival bid from Rheinmetall with its KF-41 Lynx, local news sources reported on 26 July 2023.
The prize contract, however, will be much smaller than originally envisaged, as in April this year the Australian government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that it was slashing the procurement of IFVs under Land 400 Phase 3 from 450 vehicles to 129. The decision was made in response to Australia’s Defence Strategic Review (DSR), which the Albanese government received in February 2023.
Land 400 Phase 3 is intended to replace the ADF’s fleet of M113AS3/4 armoured personnel carriers, around 400 of which remain in Australian Army service.
According to the Australian Financial Review on 26 July, the Australian Cabinet’s national security committee made the IFV decision on 25 July, informing the bidders and the South Korean and German governments the following day. As of 26 July, however, the decision had not been officially announced.
The Australian news website Defence Connect, meanwhile, stated in a report on 26 July, “It is understood that the Redback performed marginally better than its German competitor, the KF-41 Lynx, with [the Australian Department of] Defence deferring the decision ultimately to Government as both vehicles were deemed ‘suitable’ for Defence’s requirements.”
Some observers had thought the Lynx was the favourite to win Land 400 Phase 3 because the ADF had already selected Rheinmetall’s Boxer 8×8 AFV to replace its wheeled Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAVs).
The AS21 Redback is an advanced version of the K21 IFV already in service with the Republic of Korea Army. It features an EOS T-2000 turret armed with a Bushmaster MK44S 30 mm cannon, a MAG 58 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, 76 mm multi-barrel smoke grenade dischargers and two Spike LR2 missile launchers. The vehicle is protected by the Elbit Systems Iron Fist active protection system and powered by an MTU eight-cylinder diesel engine generating 1,000 hp.
The Australian Department of Defence shortlisted the Redback and Lynx for Land 400 Phase 3 in September 2019 and signed risk mitigation activity contracts with Hanwha and Rheinmetall the following month that called for three test vehicles to be delivered from each bidder. These were delivered in early 2021 and an announcement of the winning bidder was originally set to be announced in 2022.
Local subsidiary Hanwha Defense Australia will build the Australian Redbacks at a new factory near Avalon Airport in Geelong, Victoria.
Peter Felstead
