Twisted knickers at Thales

Bushmaster makers miffed at Australian partnership in JLTV program

THE Australian Government has snubbed a Bendigo-built defence vehicle and funded the development of nine US prototypes similar to a lighter variant of the Bushmaster.

The Federal Government will contribute $40 million to the United States’ Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program, in a move that has angered the Bendigo business community.

“This defies any logic as far as I’m concerned,” Bendigo Business Council chairman Doug Buerger said.

(The Advertiser)

Reads like sour grapes to me, even if the gripe is understandable.

Sure, Australia stands to lose out on the economics, though I seem to recall that the deal calls for at least some of the vehicle production to take place in Oz. The Thales company in particular loses out unless it catches some of that work in manufacturing the JLTV.

On the other hand, it is a dubious proposition that the Bushmaster (or a modernized variant) would possess capabilities comparable to those coming out of the JLTV program even if some aspects of the competition seem dubious.