Throughout its history, Australia’s land forces have responded to a wide variety of tasks from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, to peacekeeping and, ultimately, to combat operations. To equip the land forces to meet these challenges into the future, new investments are planned in strike weapons, watercraft, helicopters, information effects, logistics resilience and emerging robotics and autonomous systems.

These capabilities will increase the land force’s combat power, and give the Government more options to deploy the ADF in the more competitive environment Australia now faces, and is expected to face into the future. Australia’s land forces will be connected, protected, potent and enabled. Enhanced mobility, firepower, protection, and situational awareness will allow them to rapidly deploy where they are needed, achieve their missions, and return home safely. They will be better able to operate independently and to integrate with Australia’s partners and allies.

This will enhance the ADF’s ability to support the nation in times of domestic crisis and to respond into the region for humanitarian assistance or stability operations.

Enhancements to mobility, intelligence and reconnaissance, and special operations forces, among others, will give the Government more options to deploy the ADF across the full spectrum of national interests. This total package of capability investment in the land forces will be worth around $55 billion over the next decade.

The Government has made significant investments in the ADF’s armoured fighting vehicle capability:

• LAND400 – Boxer 8×8 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRV)
• LAND8116 – Self-Propelled Howitzers and Armoured Ammunition Resupply Vehicles

Australia has the capability to conduct sustained close combat in the land domain, which is critical to ensuring the ADF provides a credible deterrent to any threats to our interests.

The acquisition contract for 211 Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles involves an Australian Industry Capability commitment of $1.3 billion and further significant opportunities are expected in future phases.