Geelong howitzer project on track to begin in 2022-23
The business case from a South Korean multinational vying for a billion-defence program in Geelong is expected to be lodged with the federal government by March, federal parliament has heard.
Geelong
Don't miss out on the headlines from Geelong. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The business case from a South Korean multinational vying for a billion-dollar defence program in Geelong is expected to be lodged with the federal government by March, federal parliament has heard.
This week a Senate Estimates hearing was told the project — to build 30 self-propelled howitzer guns, 15 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles and supporting systems — was on track to start in 2022-23.
Hanwha Defence is the only company vying for the project.
In August, the company told the Geelong Advertiser that production was unlikely to begin before 2024-25.
Chief of the Australian Army Lieutenant-General Rick Burr said the project was “vital” in protecting against future threats.
“As threats change, the need for greater firepower and protection for our land forces obviously increases,” Lieutenant-General Burr said.
“It is a vital capability. It’s been a gap for some time and this remediates that gap.
“The project is in good shape and is on track to be delivered in accordance with the schedule outline in the election commitment.”
The project, promised days before the 2019 election, has since been expanded into a second regimen, at a likely cost of at least $1.5bn, due to be delivered from the late 2020s.
Hanwha’s K9 howitzer variant, called the AS9 Huntsman, is a 50 tonne, 52 calibre, 155mm mobile gun, and could be capable of carrying 48 rounds that can be fired at up to eight rounds per minute.
MORE NEWS
HOW LOCALS CAN DINE WITHOUT SHOWING ID
PRISON BOSS WAS ACTIVE IN CHILD PORN FORUM
WHAT DEMOLISHED GEELONG FUN PARK WILL BECOME
Lieutenant-General Burr said the howitzers would provide the army with “greater range, greater protection and greater versatility” on the battlefield.
Head of the land systems division of the Australian Army Major General Andrew Bottrell told Senate Estimates: “We expect a response to the tender by the first quarter of next year.”
Defence Minister Lisa Reynolds said the howitzer project was identified by Labor in 2009 and they “did progress it and it was very well developed.”
“Sadly … the decision to cancel this project (by Labor) was made to find money, by the then (Labor) government, to bring the budget back to surplus which of course it never did.
“I am very proud to be part of a government that is providing this capability for army.
“We have the faith in the people of the great city of Geelong and in Victoria to manufacture these capabilities.”
Victoria Senator Sarah Henderson said the project was likely to deliver hundreds of jobs to Geelong.
Originally published as Geelong howitzer project on track to begin in 2022-23