'Thousands of jobs secured' with battle to win military work
Fresh from breaking ground at its Redbank Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence, Rheinmetall is in the running to win another phase of the Land 400 program.
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MILITARY manufacturing will support thousands of jobs in Ipswich until at least 2032 if Rheinmetall secures a $15 billion Land 400 contract.
Fresh from breaking ground at its Redbank Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence, Rheinmetall is in the running to win Phase 3 of the Land 400 program.
Phase three will deliver 383 infantry fighting vehicles and 17 manoeuvre support vehicles for the Australian Army.
The State Government has launched the new campaign to support the company's bid for the project.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said her government was 100 per cent behind Rheinmetall's bid for Land 400 Phase 3, which is based on its Lynx KF41 Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
"The Department of Defence has stated they will shortlist in the next six months," she said.
"Our government's goal is to make sure Queensland and Rheinmetall is on the shortlist."
Last year Rheinmetall won the Federal Government's $5.2 billion Land 400 Phase 2 contract, ensuring the army's Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles are built at Redbank.
The company and State Government are pulling no punches in the effort to secure more defence spending in the region.
"Should Rheinmetall's Lynx be successful in the Land 400 Phase 3 tender, Rheinmetall will manufacture the vehicles at the Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence in Ipswich," Ms Palaszczuk said.
"I am calling on all Queenslanders to get behind this bid."
The Federal Government is expected to shortlist contenders for Phase 3 of the project within six months.
The first batch of jobs to build the Boxer vehicles has been released.
Jobs for welders, electronics systems engineers, account officers, project leaders and quality control officers are with Rheinmetall available at Redbank and in Germany.
Rheinmetall will build one Boxer CRV every three days from its Redbank facility when it opens in early 2020.
Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said securing the Land 400 Phase 2 contract would generate more than 450 jobs at the Redbank military centre.
"The centre's workforce and the critical mass of expertise will already be in place from Phase 2, so a win in Phase 3 will guarantee a continuation of work into the long-term," Mr Dick said.
"Rheinmetall expects the military vehicle centre of excellence and its impact across Queensland's supply chain will contribute more than $1 billion to Queensland's economy.
"Momentum is definitely increasing in Queensland's defence industries, with more than 6500 people currently employed and $9.55 billion in Australian defence contracts secured in 2017-18, which is more than double the value of contracts awarded in the previous year."
For more information on jobs available with Rheinmetall visit www.rheinmetall-defence.com.
Originally published as 'Thousands of jobs secured' with battle to win military work
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