Land 400 contract: Ben Roberts-Smith backs Queensland-based company

AUSTRALIA’S Defence Minister Christopher Pyne has described Queensland as “the Khaki State” and welcomed war hero Ben Roberts-Smith’s comments on the Land 400 contract. The PM has also responded to the veteran’s contract call.

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PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull says he has tremendous regard and affection for war hero Ben Roberts-Smith but has stopped short of accepting the Victoria Cross recipient’s support for a $5 billion defence contract being awarded to Queensland.

Mr Roberts-Smith believes Rheinmetall’s armoured vehicles should be built in the Sunshine State in a move which would lay foundation for a further $15 billion in military investment.

Mr Turnbull, visiting Queensland today, said Mr Roberts-Smith had the respect and admiration of every Australian.

“Ben Roberts-Smith is a great Australian hero,’’ Mr Turnbull said.

“He is someone every Australian looks up to in every respect.’’

Malcolm Turnbull, pictured with Ben Roberts-Smith in 2016, says the war veteran is a great Australian hero but would understand the military contracts process. Picture: Gary Ramage

But the PM also said Mr Roberts-Smith was also a long-serving member of the Australian Defence Force and understood military contracts, which were always assessed extremely closely by the Defence Department.

“They are assessed on their merits and Defence will bring recommendations to the Cabinet,’’ he said.

Mr Turnbull also hailed the International Monetary Fund’s bullish forecasts on international growth amid predictions growth will rise 3.9 per cent this year.

Mr Turnbull said the flow-on from American President Donald Trump’s tax cuts would soon arrive in Australia as well as the rest of the globe.

Businesses given the opportunity to invest more would employ more, he said, adding that Australian Labor Governments of the 1980s knew and understood that formula.

“(Former Prime Minister) Paul Keating certainly knew about this.’’

Personal tax cuts were the next item on the Turnbull Government agenda, he said.

But the timing and the scale of the personal tax cuts would depend on budget processes, he added.

The Prime Minister’s comments follow a response from Australia’s Defence Minister Christopher Pyne, who described Queensland as “the Khaki State” and welcomed Ben Roberts-Smith’s comments on the Land 400 contract.

Christopher Pyne: “Ben [Roberts-Smith VC] is entitled to both his opinion and to lobby the Government and I welcome his intervention into the discussion.” Picture: Peter Wallis

However, the Federal Minister refused to comment on his preference between the two companies vying for the Australian Army’s biggest and most expensive acquisition project.

Mr Pyne visited Brisbane this morning to announce the winner of the $100 million Land 17 Future Artillery Ammunition Contract to NIOA — which will acquire artillery ammunition for the Lightweight Towed Howitzer.

During his visit, Mr Pyne said he welcomed Mr Roberts-Smith’s opinion and confirmed the Land 400 contract was close to being done.

“Ben is entitled to both his opinion and to lobby the Government and I welcome his intervention into the discussion,” he said.

“Obviously we’re in the midst of a commercial tender between Rheinmetall and BAE to provide the combat reconnaissance vehicles ... and we are very much nearing the end of that. We are right at the end of the tunnel if you like in terms of making a decision.

It would therefore be quite wrong of me to express an opinion or preference between Rheinmetall’s and BAE’s offerings. But Ben’s perfectly entitled to do so.”

He said the Land 400 deal was extremely important to get right.

“This is one of the most important purchases for the army so we have to get it right,” he said.

“I would say we are weeks to months (away from making a decision).”

Defence Minister Christopher Pyne at Nioa. Picture: Annette Dew

OVERNIGHT: Decorated war hero Ben Roberts-Smith has declared troops under extreme fire would have a better chance of surviving if Malcolm Turnbull procured war machines from a company that has staked its future in Queensland.

The rare intervention from the Victoria Cross recipient now puts Queensland in an enviable position to win the $5 billion Land 400 contract, and places fresh pressure on the Turnbull Government.

Mr Roberts-Smith — who said he would not tell the Prime Minister or others what do to because “they are going to have to live and die by their own decisions” — said Rheinmetall’s Boxer CRV offered more protection over BAE Systems Australia’s armoured vehicle.

“Team Queensland”, Mr Turnbull’s 26 LNP parliamentarians, and state and federal MPs in Victoria, are each demanding the contract, which will lay the foundation for a further $15 billion investment under Land 400’s next phase.

A Rheinmetall Boxer CRV participating in the Land 400 Risk Mitigation Activity.

If Rheinmetall’s Boxer CRV wins the project, it will build 225 state-of-the-art combat reconnaissance vehicles in Queensland. BAE will build its Patria AMV35 in Victoria.

Mr Turnbull, who has launched an unofficial offensive in Queensland to sandbag marginal seats at risk to Labor and One Nation, has refused to reveal who he believes should win the contract.

The Defence Department will submit its views to the National Security Committee within weeks after months of rigorous testing.

The announcement could be made in the May Budget, which is potentially the last before the Government sends voters to an election.

At pains to express that he was only offering his opinion, Mr Roberts-Smith said there was no doubt which armoured fighting vehicle offered better protection.

“You’ve got to think about the future of modern warfare and the threats we’re going to face,’’ Mr Roberts-Smith exclusively told The Courier-Mail yesterday.

“What we’ve got with the Boxer, it is well known for being the most protected vehicle. So in terms of survivability and the people using that vehicle, the Boxer CRV is the best in the world in terms of that category of vehicle.

“The ADF itself in putting out this tender has kept protection as the number one priority. So if you were looking at the these two vehicles, you will get better protection from the Boxer.

“So when you look at all the different aspects they’re (Defence) looking at, whether it’s protection, lethality, mobility or sustainability, protection is number one.

“In layman’s terms, it (the Boxer) has more armour on it. So it’s got more ballistic protection, which means it can take or sustain a bigger hit.”

“One of these light armoured vehicles or reconnaissance vehicles will certainly come up against an IED, explosive or projectiles, heavy calibre machine guns and rockets. The Boxer provides the best protection against that.”

He said the turret, which controls the cannon, was most advanced in the world, and its skid steering provided it with an edge.

“I’m talking about my experience and more perspective and I’m not an expert (but) going over all the data I’ve been given, and looking at all the testing that’s been done on the vehicles, particularly the blast testing that was done, the Rheinmetall Boxer performed better than its opponent,’’ he said.

“It is the more protected vehicle. It’s just that simple.

“I would not hazard to put myself in a position of telling the Prime Minister or anyone else what they should do. They are going to live and die by their own decisions. I think the Boxer is definitely providing us with the capability we need and keeping our troops as safe as they can safely be.

“I’m still very connected obviously with the military and I do a lot of stuff for different units and Defence themselves.

“I have a vested interest in it. I have a lot of mates who are still serving.

“It’s funny being on the other side. When you’re out there you don’t think about it or worry but when you’re not out there you worry about your mates.”

Ian Bostock, the editor of Defence Technology Review and a specialist defence writer who has been reporting on Australian Defence Force equipment acquisition programs for the past 25 years, told The Courier-Mail there was no guarantee who would win the contract but said the Boxer had a better level of ballistic protection.

“The Boxer CRV is seen by most as the more capable option. This, however, brings with it a higher sticker price than the AMV35,’’ he said.

“Both vehicles are about the same size, with AMV35 being several tonnes lighter due to having less armour.

“Defence made it clear in the tender that the highest capability priority for the CRV is protection. On this basis, the Government might opt for Boxer CRV.

“If, on the other hand, cost is the main driver then the AMV35 has a strong advantage,” he said.

Ben Roberts-Smith VC, pictured on the Sunshine Coast, has thrown his weight behind the Queensland-based tender. Picture: Peter Wallis