Hanwha Defense Australia, a subsidiary of South Korean defense firm Hanwha Aerospace, has been selected as the preferred bidder for the Australian government’s LAND 400 Phase 3 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) program. The company’s Redback IFV was chosen over Germany’s Rheinmetall Lynx KF41 IFV for the $4.8 billion contract. This acquisition program, designed to replace the Australian Army’s fleet of M113 armored vehicles that were introduced in the 1960s, will involve the procurement of 129 new IFVs.

Upon contract finalization, the Redback is slated for production at the Hanwha Armored Vehicle Center of Excellence (H-ACE) in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. This deal would be South Korea’s second ground-based military equipment export to Australia, following the supply of K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers in Dec. 2021. This move will likely bolster defense capabilities and regional arms industry cooperation between South Korea and Australia.