Boxer vehicle equipped with the LANCE turret.

Rheinmetall has finally confirmed that it has joined forces with Northrop Grumman to bid for LAND 400 Phase 2, which will see the Australian Army’s ASLAV vehicles replaced.

In response to the request for tender (RFT), Rheinmetall is offering the latest version of the Boxer equipped with the LANCE turret and Northrop Grumman’s C4ISR architecture for the Mounted Combat Reconnaissance Capability project. The RFT closed on September 3.

Rheinmetall Defence also named Supacat as the first company to join the Boxer team as a result of its supplier engagement activity involving more than 300 Australian companies, seeking to highlight its focus on local industry.

“Our LAND 400 industry engagement activities have been well received, and our European executives have identified a number of Australian suppliers who we are currently in negotiations with to enter our global supply chain for LAND 400 and other international programs,” said Andrew Fletcher, managing director of Rheinmetall Defence Australia.

Northrop Grumman Australia chief executive Ian Irving welcomed the alliance with Rheinmetall. “Northrop Grumman will leverage its extensive experience to offer a fifth-generation C4ISR solution that will significantly reduce crew workload, improve situational awareness and enable interoperability across the Australian Defence Force, and with coalition forces,” he said.

“Our solution will provide an enduring platform, ready for enhancements with future sensors and communications systems. Together, Northrop Grumman and Rheinmetall will also extend an impressive and lasting package of work for Australian industry.”