Photos Australian Defence Force
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AS21 Redback
The AS21 Redback is a South-Korean modern export IFV prototype, designed specifically for Australia’s LAND 400 Phase 3 program to replace the aging M113AS4 APCs in Australian service with 450 modern, well-protected IFVs.
Australia has sought to replace its older vehicles with something more modern. When the contest was announced back in April 2018, the South-Korean Hanwha Defense company, responsible also for the K21 IFV, saw the opportunity to show the world what it was truly capable of and applied with an IFV proposal named AS21 Redback. The designation does have a meaning: AS stands for Australia and the name Redback refers to the venomous Australian Redback spider that is one of the few spiders that can actually kill a human with the neurotoxins they produce
The truly interesting part of the designation, however, is the number 21 – it seems that the marketing department of Hanwha tried here to refer to the excellent reputation of the K21 IFV. Plenty of sources also mention that the vehicle is closely based on the K21, but it’s not really true – the Redback is likely only very loosely based on the abovementioned vehicle (possibly using some of its components) and is more or less an offshoot of the K31 program, which is, in fact, the program to develop K21’s future replacement. Unlike the other LAND 400 Phase 3 program competitors, it was designed specifically for Australia, giving it quite an advantage.
The vehicle was first mentioned during the 2018 Ground Forces exhibition (pointing to a rather rapid development process) while the first prototype was unveiled in October 2019, but we’ll get to that. Let us first take a look at the vehicle’s characteristics.
The Redback IFV weighs 42 tons (of which 6 tons go to the turret), has a crew of three men (commander, gunner and driver) and can carry 8 troops in the back. As for its protection level, it is likely quite good as the sheer weight of the vehicle suggests. The basic hull protection level without any additional armor is STANAG 4569 Level 2 (protection versus 7.62mm AP bullets) and is made of steel (unlike K21’s aluminum armor). However, images of several variants were shown, which include:
Hard-kill APS (seems to be a version of the Israeli Iron Fist system)
Modular armor plating
Integrated sensor kit with 360 degrees coverage, paired with Elbit’s IronVision system (the operator has a helmet that allows him to see everything outside thanks to a large number of external cameras as if he was not sitting in a tank at all)
Laser Warning System
Integrated 76mm smoke grenade launcher with 4 barrels on each side of the turret
In other words, everything points out to this vehicle being tough as nails, just the way the Australians like it. We’re likely looking at something along the lines of STANAG 4569 Level 6 with the additional armor installed, which would make it impervious to most Chinese and Soviet 30mm autocannons, at least frontally.
Not much is known about its mobility, save for its maximum speed of 65-70 km/h (35-40 km/h off-road) thanks to its MTU 881 Ka-500 diesel engine. The engine is mounted in the front of the vehicle. The suspension is similar to that of the K21 IFV and the operational range is around 520 km.
The T2000 manned turret of this vehicle carries two primary weapon systems – an integrated Spike-LR2 launcher (which can elevate, release its deadly payload and depress back into the turret) and a 30mm cannon called Bushmaster Mk.44S that can use various types of ammunition (even programmable). It’s worth noting that Hanwha states the weapon system can be upgraded to a 40mm cannon or Bushmaster Mk.3 35/50mm cannon. The Bushmaster Mk.44S autocannon has the following characteristics:
Rate of Fire: 100 to 200 rounds per minute
Depression and Elevation angles: -10 to +60 degrees
Ammo carried: 200 rounds
Feed system: double feed (one belt with APFSDS-T shells, the other with HE shells, can be switched instantly)
The commander has a set of panoramic sights at his disposal that can be installed independently or as a part of the EOS R400S Mk.2HD weapon system. Additionally, Hanwha is offering its excellent Battlefield Management System as a part of the deal.
As you can see, Hanwha decided to closely cooperate with the Americans (the EOS company) and the Israelis (Elbit’s IronVision and Iron Fist systems) to maximize its chances.
As was mentioned above, the first prototype was unveiled to public in the October of 2019, but one month earlier, in September 2019, the LAND 400 Phase 3 contest was narrowed down to two competitors – the Redback and Rheinmetall’s KF41 Lynx. There were two other contenders, but both were disqualified – the AJAX platform by General Dynamics Land Systems (because it was considered unsuitable for use by the Australian military) and the CV90 by BAE Systems (because it was too expensive).
The “unsuitability” argument concerns two major Australian requirements – the transportability by a Canberra-class LHD (Landing Helicopter Dock) the Australian Navy operates and the transportability by a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. Both are extremely important to Australia because the vehicles have to be possible to deploy around Australia’s outer defense perimeter that consists of smaller islands.
One more potential contender was also discussed – it was the German PSM company with its Puma IFV, but PSM decided not to participate.
As the next step, the Australian Ministry of Defense signed (or will sign) a contract with both companies to produce three prototypes each for extended testing until the autumn of 2020. This phase is called Risk Mitigation Activity and is likely to last until late 2021, at which point the winner of the massive 10 billion USD contract will be declared. In this clash, Rheinmetall has a bit of an advantage – the wheeled Boxer IFV by the same company was already chosen as the winner of the Phase 2 contract (for an armored recon vehicle).
But one thing is for sure – Hanwha won’t give up without the fight. Both companies have already pledged to include technology transfer and offsets in their contracts – if Rheinmetall wins, the Lynx is planned to be produced in Ipswitch, while the Redback production is planned to take place in Geelong, south of Melbourne. The winner will likely achieve the IOC status (vehicles deployable in their very basic form) by 2024-2025 and the FOC status (full operational capability) in the early 2030s.
Interestingly enough, the outcome of this program may influence another major contract for the Australian Army called LAND 8116 for 30 new 155mm Self-Propelled Guns, in which Hanwha’s K9 Thunder is competing against Rheinmetall/KMW’s Panzerhaubitze 2000.
The AS21 Redback is a South-Korean modern export IFV prototype, designed specifically for Australia’s LAND 400 Phase 3 program to replace the aging M113AS4 APCs in Australian service with 450 modern, well-protected IFVs.
Australia has sought to replace its older vehicles with something more modern. When the contest was announced back in April 2018, the South-Korean Hanwha Defense company, responsible also for the K21 IFV, saw the opportunity to show the world what it was truly capable of and applied with an IFV proposal named AS21 Redback. The designation does have a meaning: AS stands for Australia and the name Redback refers to the venomous Australian Redback spider that is one of the few spiders that can actually kill a human with the neurotoxins they produce
The truly interesting part of the designation, however, is the number 21 – it seems that the marketing department of Hanwha tried here to refer to the excellent reputation of the K21 IFV. Plenty of sources also mention that the vehicle is closely based on the K21, but it’s not really true – the Redback is likely only very loosely based on the abovementioned vehicle (possibly using some of its components) and is more or less an offshoot of the K31 program, which is, in fact, the program to develop K21’s future replacement. Unlike the other LAND 400 Phase 3 program competitors, it was designed specifically for Australia, giving it quite an advantage.
The vehicle was first mentioned during the 2018 Ground Forces exhibition (pointing to a rather rapid development process) while the first prototype was unveiled in October 2019, but we’ll get to that. Let us first take a look at the vehicle’s characteristics.
The Redback IFV weighs 42 tons (of which 6 tons go to the turret), has a crew of three men (commander, gunner and driver) and can carry 8 troops in the back. As for its protection level, it is likely quite good as the sheer weight of the vehicle suggests. The basic hull protection level without any additional armor is STANAG 4569 Level 2 (protection versus 7.62mm AP bullets) and is made of steel (unlike K21’s aluminum armor). However, images of several variants were shown, which include:
Hard-kill APS (seems to be a version of the Israeli Iron Fist system)
Modular armor plating
Integrated sensor kit with 360 degrees coverage, paired with Elbit’s IronVision system (the operator has a helmet that allows him to see everything outside thanks to a large number of external cameras as if he was not sitting in a tank at all)
Laser Warning System
Integrated 76mm smoke grenade launcher with 4 barrels on each side of the turret
In other words, everything points out to this vehicle being tough as nails, just the way the Australians like it. We’re likely looking at something along the lines of STANAG 4569 Level 6 with the additional armor installed, which would make it impervious to most Chinese and Soviet 30mm autocannons, at least frontally.
Not much is known about its mobility, save for its maximum speed of 65-70 km/h (35-40 km/h off-road) thanks to its MTU 881 Ka-500 diesel engine. The engine is mounted in the front of the vehicle. The suspension is similar to that of the K21 IFV and the operational range is around 520 km.
The T2000 manned turret of this vehicle carries two primary weapon systems – an integrated Spike-LR2 launcher (which can elevate, release its deadly payload and depress back into the turret) and a 30mm cannon called Bushmaster Mk.44S that can use various types of ammunition (even programmable). It’s worth noting that Hanwha states the weapon system can be upgraded to a 40mm cannon or Bushmaster Mk.3 35/50mm cannon. The Bushmaster Mk.44S autocannon has the following characteristics:
Rate of Fire: 100 to 200 rounds per minute
Depression and Elevation angles: -10 to +60 degrees
Ammo carried: 200 rounds
Feed system: double feed (one belt with APFSDS-T shells, the other with HE shells, can be switched instantly)
The commander has a set of panoramic sights at his disposal that can be installed independently or as a part of the EOS R400S Mk.2HD weapon system. Additionally, Hanwha is offering its excellent Battlefield Management System as a part of the deal.
As you can see, Hanwha decided to closely cooperate with the Americans (the EOS company) and the Israelis (Elbit’s IronVision and Iron Fist systems) to maximize its chances.
As was mentioned above, the first prototype was unveiled to public in the October of 2019, but one month earlier, in September 2019, the LAND 400 Phase 3 contest was narrowed down to two competitors – the Redback and Rheinmetall’s KF41 Lynx. There were two other contenders, but both were disqualified – the AJAX platform by General Dynamics Land Systems (because it was considered unsuitable for use by the Australian military) and the CV90 by BAE Systems (because it was too expensive).
The “unsuitability” argument concerns two major Australian requirements – the transportability by a Canberra-class LHD (Landing Helicopter Dock) the Australian Navy operates and the transportability by a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. Both are extremely important to Australia because the vehicles have to be possible to deploy around Australia’s outer defense perimeter that consists of smaller islands.
One more potential contender was also discussed – it was the German PSM company with its Puma IFV, but PSM decided not to participate.
As the next step, the Australian Ministry of Defense signed (or will sign) a contract with both companies to produce three prototypes each for extended testing until the autumn of 2020. This phase is called Risk Mitigation Activity and is likely to last until late 2021, at which point the winner of the massive 10 billion USD contract will be declared. In this clash, Rheinmetall has a bit of an advantage – the wheeled Boxer IFV by the same company was already chosen as the winner of the Phase 2 contract (for an armored recon vehicle).
But one thing is for sure – Hanwha won’t give up without the fight. Both companies have already pledged to include technology transfer and offsets in their contracts – if Rheinmetall wins, the Lynx is planned to be produced in Ipswitch, while the Redback production is planned to take place in Geelong, south of Melbourne. The winner will likely achieve the IOC status (vehicles deployable in their very basic form) by 2024-2025 and the FOC status (full operational capability) in the early 2030s.
Interestingly enough, the outcome of this program may influence another major contract for the Australian Army called LAND 8116 for 30 new 155mm Self-Propelled Guns, in which Hanwha’s K9 Thunder is competing against Rheinmetall/KMW’s Panzerhaubitze 2000.
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The crew of HMAS Sydney 'cheer ship' inside Jervis Bay, NSW following the ship's commissioning ceremony at sea on Monday 18 May 2020.
Image by POIS Tom Gibson
HMAS Anzac (II) & HMAS Sirius in the Makassar Strait, May 2021
Image by POIS Tom Gibson
HMAS Anzac (II) & HMAS Sirius in the Makassar Strait, May 2021
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Soldiers from 2nd Commando Regiment used the fields surrounding Temora for an impromptu drop zone as they jumped from an RAAF C-130J Hercules during Exercise Titan Pegasus. May 2021
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What size is that droptank?
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NUSHIPStalwart, the RAN's second Supply Class Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR). She set sail for her forever home in Australia ahead of her commissioning later this year.
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The DFHSL 'gun car' variant is going to hit service introduction very soon.
The Kongsberg RWS you see was only procured for these few initial euro configs because it was already integrated. The fully 'Australianised' versions will be manufactured from 2022 onwards and be accepted into service in 2023. These will have the EOS R400S MK II fitted as well as other local systems. The initial batch will go back through the line later on to match the local production versions.
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14 November 2013. 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment
Lance Corporal Maitie Banu (back) (L-R) Lance Corporal Jimmy Elia, Corporal Chris Torenbeek, Private Antonio Sabatino, Lance Corporal Julohn Wigness, Gunner Byron Tworek.
Lance Corporal Maitie Banu (back) (L-R) Lance Corporal Jimmy Elia, Corporal Chris Torenbeek, Private Antonio Sabatino, Lance Corporal Julohn Wigness, Gunner Byron Tworek.
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