The sale to Indonesia was concluded, but not announced, in late 2013
and features three Bushmaster troop variants that were delivered to the
Indonesian Special Forces (Kopassus) in February 2014, a spokesman from
the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) confirmed to IHS Jane's on 4 April.
The sale to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) was announced
on 7 April and covers four units of the same design, with deliveries
scheduled before the end of 2014, Thales Australia said in a statement.
A Japanese Ministry of Defence (MoD) official told IHS Jane's
that the four Bushmasters had been purchased to provide "land
transportation for Japanese evacuees" in the event of an overseas
contingencies, such as the January 2013 In Amenas hostage crisis in
Algeria. Ten Japanese citizens were killed in the siege, which the
official said had exposed a gap in the Self-Defence Forces Law in how
the JGSDF was allowed to operate overseas.
Chris Jenkins, chief executive officer of Thales Australia, said:
"This is the first time that Thales is providing platforms to Japan. Our
aim is to be customer-focused and to offer Thales group's ... services
and technologies to our customers in Japan. We look forward to working
closely with the JGSDF as these vehicles enter service."
The Japanese MoD official said that the four Bushmasters would cost
about JPY200 million (USD1.9 million) per vehicle and "will be focused
on overseas transport operations in case of an emergency - either
natural or man-made". He added that there would be no further purchases.
The acquisition of "protected carrier vehicles" was outlined in the
MoD's supplementary budget for fiscal year 2013/14, which was released
in December 2013. It was included in a section detailing "measures that
facilitate the JGSDF to maintain and operate various equipment and
defence facilities in a stable manner" and also included the acquisition
of fire-control radar parts for F-15 fighter aircraft and soundproofing
of homes and private facilities close to Japanese air bases.
The Indonesian contract is valued at AUD2.7 million (USD2.5 million)
and the Japanese deal is expected to be worth around AUD3.6 million,
with both including the provision of training covering vehicle
operations, maintenance, and repairs.
The Indonesian deal progressed as a government-to-government deal
overseen by the Australian Military Sales Office, which was established
in 2012 to facilitate the export of platforms and components on behalf
of Australia's defence industrial base. The sale to Japan is understood
to be a commercial contract.
Other potential export orders for the Bushmaster include the Royal
Thai Army, which has maintained its interest in acquiring the vehicle
for use in the country's turbulent south, and Libya, which is reported
to have expressed a requirement to acquire between 100 and 400
Bushmasters. A Thales Australia spokesman said: "I can't confirm
anything about other potential exports for commercial reasons, but we
continue to explore opportunities."
To date, the Australian Defence Force has ordered and taken delivery
of a total of 1,052 Bushmasters, and exports include 86 vehicles
supplied to the Dutch Army, 24 to the British Army, and 12 ordered by
the Jamaica Defence Force in December 2013.
Source : Jane's
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