Thales Bushmaster

History of Thales Jungle King

The turn of the century provided the military industry with a new battlefield away from conventional warfare. As a result, manufacturers have responded by adapting their products to changing times, and to this end Thales Australia has developed its 'Bushmaster' range of Infantry Motor Vehicles (IMVs) to provide Infantry provides service, and may provide limited protection.

Introduced in 1998, the series has been adopted by the armed forces of Australia, the Netherlands and other countries, and has conducted combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere - a testament to its design rationality. At its launch, the Bushmaster was the first military armoured vehicle since World War II (1939-1945) to be designed, developed and produced entirely in Australia.

At the heart of the

Bushmaster is a full-suspension design with four-wheel drive and high ground clearance for enhanced off-road capability. The system weighs 33,000 pounds and has an overall length of 7.1 meters, a width of 2.5 meters and a height of 2.7 meters.

The standard operator is 1 person and can accommodate up to 9 passengers, protected from mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) (to a certain extent), small arms fire and artillery spray. The V-shaped hull is used to deflect the sound of explosions ejected from under the vehicle.

Power for the series is provided by a front-mounted Caterpillar 3126E 7.2-liter six-cylinder diesel engine. The system delivers 330 hp at 2,200 rpm and is combined with a ZF 6HP502 ECOMAT G2 series drivetrain. The top speed on the road is up to 100 km/h and the cruising range is up to 800 km.

As the primary weapon, the Bushmaster is usually equipped with an overhead heavy weapon system (this can also be a remote weapon station). Two additional swivel mounts are available for small caliber weapons.

One of the most important tactical features of the Bushmaster is its ability to be transported by Lockheed C-130 Hercules or similar aircraft.

Like any such military vehicle, the Bushmaster is not a single vehicle, but a series of vehicles based on a standardized design. This is a cost-effective measure, as a single model can serve as the basis for other models to cover multiple roles on the battlefield.

Variants of the Bushmaster family include special command vehicles (CVs), anti-aircraft vehicles (ADVs) and armoured ambulances to name a few - demonstrating the flexibility of the Bushmaster vehicle, which is also in civilian service.

The Australian Army initially ordered 370 of this model, but it was eventually reduced to 299, arriving in 2005. However, more vehicle orders followed, bringing Australia's stockpile to over 1,000.

The Australian bush drug lord was first used (in prototype form) in operations in East Timor before being used in Iraq. Then came the deployment in Afghanistan.

The Netherlands is currently the second largest operator of the Bushmaster range, having purchased over 100 vehicles in service with Dutch Marines and Army personnel. In 2008, the British Army procured two dozen systems, while Jamaica adopted a dozen.

Japan and Indonesia ordered four and three cars respectively. According to reports, sales to Libya and Spain may be possible, while the United Arab Emirates has been evaluating the product.

In 2007, Bushmaster's attempt to be included in the U.S. Army stockpile as an MRAP failed and was withdrawn from a Canadian program. The French Army adopted a local solution for the Australian product.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

Depends on weapon.

Changes