{"id":2201849,"date":"2023-07-31T17:00:40","date_gmt":"2023-07-31T08:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2201849"},"modified":"2023-07-31T16:00:22","modified_gmt":"2023-07-31T07:00:22","slug":"successful-redback-delivery-poses-risk-and-reward-for-koreas-defense-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/07\/successful-redback-delivery-poses-risk-and-reward-for-koreas-defense-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"Successful Redback delivery poses risk and reward for Korea\u2019s defense industry"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Australian government announced on Thursday that it had awarded Hanwha Defense Australia a contract to produce 129 Redback infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs). The <\/span>announcement<\/span><\/a> comes after Hanwha\u2019s <\/span>statement<\/span><\/a> that its Australian subsidiary had become the favored bidder for the Australian Army\u2019s next-generation IFV and a wave of reports in the Australian press.<\/span><\/p>\n The LAND 400 Phase 3 initiative, representing one of the largest capability acquisitions in the Australian Army\u2019s history, is projected to replace the M113 armored personnel carriers that have been in operation since 1964. The Canberra government has placed the total lifecycle cost of this replacement process at an estimated $4.65 billion.<\/span><\/p>\n Thursday\u2019s contract announcement ends uncertainty surrounding the assembly site of the Redback, which will be constructed at Hanwha\u2019s Armored Vehicle Center of Excellence. The facility, currently being erected in Geelong, Victoria, puts to rest speculation about potential assembly in South Korea as a cost-saving measure, particularly following the project\u2019s reduction from 450 to 129 IFVs.<\/span><\/p>\n This center will also assemble 30 AS9 Huntsman units, a variant of South Korea\u2019s K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer, which the Australian Army selected in Dec. 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n The Redback\u2019s success in securing export orders is particularly notable. It\u2019s the first Korean defense product explicitly designed for the export market, setting it apart from previous exports of Korean military systems such as the K9, K2 Black Panther main battle tank, T-50 trainer jet and FA-50 light attack jet, all of which were variants of systems already deployed by the Korean military.<\/span><\/p>\n