There’s a new 4X4 coming for the Australian Army, and this one will be made in Australia. It’s called the Hawkei, and it’s a light armoured patrol vehicle that will replace specific variants of Land Rover Perentie patrol vehicles.
[x_image type=”none” float=”none” src=”https://www.mr4x4.com.au/wp-content/uploads/hawkei-caustralian-dept-of-defence.jpg” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover”]1,100 of the Hawkei 4X4 will be made in Bendigo, primarily by Thales, the 3,200-strong company behind the well-regarded and Australian-made Bushmaster. The Bushmaster is a much bigger rig, designed for carrying up to nine soliders in light armour, and is the first armoured vehicle to be designed and made in Australia, since the Sentinel Tank from WWII.
The Hawkei 4X4 is powered by a six-cylinder, 3.2 litre turbo diesel Steyr motor, which puts out 200kW @4,000rpm and 610Nm @ 2,000rpm. Same size engine as a Ford Ranger, but tonnes more grunt. Impressive. Actually, when you look at it, the Hawkei is a dual-cab ute. Designed by Satan. It’s made to be lighter and more manouverable than the Bushmaster, but still providing much more protection for the users than the out-going Land Rover Perenties. The v-shaped hull will delflect IED (improvised explosive device) bombs to protect those inside, and despite the armour protection, the Hawkei is light enough to be air-portable under a Chinook helicopter. It has a top speed of 115 kilometres per hour, and a range of 600 kilometres. GVM? A whopping 10.4 tonnes.
[x_image type=”none” float=”none” src=”https://www.mr4x4.com.au/wp-content/uploads/6827180-3×2-700×467.jpg” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover”]It sports ceramic/composite armour, which can be removed by users in around half an hour, which decreases the weight of the vehicle by 900 kilograms. There are provisions for rear-wheel steer, and a three-tonnes payload.
The Hawkei 4X4 is great news for the Victorian economy and is a beacon of Australian manufacturing. $1.3 billion dollars and 170 jobs will be created, along with sustaining another 60 jobs in the area. There is also huge opportunity for the Hawkei to be built for other governments and armed forces; the Australian-made Bushmaster has been sold onto six different countries, including Japan, the United Kingdom and Netherlands.
