Special Steel Armours Military Vehicles

One of Australia's lesser known vehicle manufacturers is making the most of quality material from BlueScope Steel to capture world markets for its range of unique specialised vehicles.

ADI Limited at Bendigo is a major local supplier of specialist Australian Defence Force vehicles. Two models are involved at this stage, both of which are notable for their unique capabilities and their high speed of deployment.

The ADI Bushmaster won the Australian Army contract for the Project Bushranger Infantry Mobility Vehicle, and is now in advanced prototype development stage. An unusual early test run for the vehicles was the deployment of two prototypes in East Timor, where they were used for high-security transport of senior figures during the early stages of the operation, when the degree of danger remained unknown.

Designed and manufactured by ADI in Australia, the Bushmaster offers several unique features for this class of vehicle. Not least of these features is its protection from landmine blasts, achieved through clever design and the use of high-strength plate produced by Bisalloy from BlueScope Steel plate.

Bushmaster beat an international field of contenders for the Army contract, and is scheduled to enter full production next year after final assessment of the six advanced prototypes currently under construction. Up to 10 fully equipped troops can travel in comfort at speeds in excess of 100 km/h in a fully laden 15 tonne Bushmaster. Operating range is up to 1,000 km, and the vehicle carries drinking water and supplies for a three-day mission.

Sharing Bushmaster's remarkable turn of speed, and preceding it into service, is ADI's unique HSEV - the High Speed Engineering Vehicle. This is quite possibly the world's fastest production front-end-loader, with a comfortable cruising speed of more than 100 km/h on the highway. In common with Bushmaster, the vehicles feature precision welded hulls of Australian BlueScope Steel. ADI says a major operational advantage is the HSEV's ability to self-deploy, joining a convoy under its own power without the need for a low-loader and separate driver.

To date the Army has signed a production contract for 27 HSEVs. The Bushmaster contract is for a total of 341 vehicles. Production will begin in 2001 at the rate of two Bushmasters per week, ultimately increasing to five per week.

The Bushmaster and HSEV both offer export potential. They are optimised for Australian extremes of heat and distance, but with an eye to operating successfully anywhere in the world. The Canadian Department of National Defence has purchased an HSEV, which it is evaluating in conjunction with the US Army.

ADI is working to increase its status as a vehicle designer and builder, with a diverse range of specialised, heavy-duty units. One possibility is a full range of military transports evolved from Bushmaster, with a view to standardising drivetrain and other components for increased efficiency. A more immediate project is the FireKing, a high-survivability firefighting vehicle that shares its tough, high-speed, four-wheel-drive characteristics with the HSEV and Bushmaster. Purpose-built from the ground up, the FireKing is intended to give firefighters maximum protection in the worst of conditions.