The New Zealand Army has marked the arrival of the first 18 Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles to replace its ageing armoured Pinzgauers.
Defence minister Andrew Little was at Trentham Military Camp alongside personnel to see the first vehicles arrive on May 25.
A total of 43 Australian-designed and built Bushmasters will arrive here. In December 2017, the Government invested more than $4.5 billion in 12 major defence capability projects, including $102.9 million towards the Bushmaster fleet.
“The arrival of the Bushmaster fleet represents a significant uplift in capability and protection for defence force personnel, and a milestone in the Government’s historic investment in our defence kit,” Little says.
“Bushmaster vehicles carry more troops than the armoured Pinzgauer and offer greater blast and ballistic protection to personnel.
“Our soldiers operate in a variety of challenging situations. The Bushmasters are multipurpose vehicles that will boost their ability to help communities here in New Zealand, the Pacific, and overseas – whether they are on peace and security missions, search and rescue, or natural disaster operations,” Little says.
The Bushmaster fleet was designed specifically for the NZ Army and comes in five different variants to carry out a range of tasks, including mobile communications and command hubs, troop transport, and protected ambulances.
The new fleet will also enhance the NZ Defence Force’s interoperability with overseas partners, as many already use them.
The remainder of the Bushmaster vehicles will arrive in batches throughout 2023.
They are being tested and certified for use at Trentham Military Camp, before being sent to their home bases.
Budget 2023 also included $35.5m in operational funding for communications upgrades for frigates and Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles to ensure interoperability with international partners.
