Australia Sees Further Foreign Interest In Bushmaster / Further Interest In Australian Made Bushmaster

Australia Sees Further Foreign Interest In Bushmaster / Further Interest In Australian Made Bushmaster

(NSI News Source Info) February 17, 2009: Greg Combet, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, today announced that a contingent of Netherlands Defence officials are visiting Thales Bendigo this week to review production progress under their country’s existing Bushmaster contract.

Mr Combet said under the Quality Assurance Arrangements between the two countries the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has been providing Government Quality Assurance services to the Netherlands regarding the procurement of the Bushmaster vehicles and associated enhancements/refits.

“The DMO continues to provide this vital support to the Netherlands and has been doing so since original contract signature in 2006,” Mr Combet said.

“The Netherlands Bushmaster Project Office will also view operational progress of some of the modifications they have ordered on their Bushmasters.

“The Australian built Bushmaster has acquitted itself well in both Iraq and Afghanistan and a Netherlands soldier who survived an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in a Bushmaster while on duty in Afghanistan will also be accompanying the official party.”

Mr Combet said along with the Netherlands, Bushmasters had also been exported to the United Kingdom with a number of other countries also showing keen interest in the Protected Mobility Vehicles.

“The Bushmaster is a world-class, locally built vehicle which has received international attention following an enhanced acquisition process with close cooperation between the Australian Government and Australian industry,” said Mr Combet.