Extract from ABC News
The StrikeMaster utilises a pair of Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) mounted on top of the domestically produced Bushmaster vehicle. (Supplied: Thales)
In short:
The Australian Army is a step closer to acquiring the StrikeMaster — a defence system that uses a Bushmaster vehicle to carry naval strike missiles.
The Albanese government is increasingly in favour of buying the local product, which is considerably cheaper than the American-made HIMARS weapon.
What's next?
Defence will formally examine whether to purchase the StrikeMaster instead of a second regiment of HIMARS as it looks to expand the army's long-range capability.
A mobile missile launcher transported by Bushmaster vehicles is a step closer to being operated by Australian soldiers, with Defence to formally examine whether the locally designed weapon system can soon be brought into service.
Known as StrikeMaster, the Australian-developed product utilises a pair of Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) mounted on top of the domestically produced Bushmaster, which can be fired at enemy targets on land and sea out to at least 250 kilometres.
First unveiled in 2022 by defence companies Kongsberg and Thales, the StrikeMaster and its ship-killing NSMs is being touted as a sovereign and cost-effective option for delivering a potent "area denial" capability across Australia's top end.
The range of StrikeMasters from possible launch sites across Australia's Top End. (ABC News)
Now the ABC can reveal the Albanese government has this week approved a tender process that will pit the StrikeMaster against the American-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), currently being used by Ukrainian forces.
Under Project LAND 8113 phase two, Defence will consider whether the army should adopt the cheaper and locally produced StrikeMaster, which uses sea-skimming missiles, instead of buying a second regiment of HIMARS, which fires multiple long-range rockets.
Push for long-range strike capability
Last year's Defence Strategy Review (DSR) called for the Australian Army to focus on long-range strike capability and the ability to move around with more agility at the edges of land and sea, greatly extending its current ability to fire only out to 40 kilometres.
Ahead of the DSR, the government finalised a half-billion-dollar deal to buy 20 of the truck-mounted HIMARS launchers, which have a range of up to 300 kilometres, while signing another purchase of the Norwegian-made NSMs for use on Australian warships.
In August last year, Labor announced it would expand and accelerate Australia's HIMARS acquisition to 42, while looking to produce HIMARS-compatible missiles from 2025 under the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordinance Enterprise (GWEO).
While the Lockheed Martin-produced HIMARS is regarded well by the Australian military, there are concerns about the high cost and lack of sovereignty with the US-made technology and the long acquisition times given numerous other nations have ordered it.
Sources have told the ABC that while there was some resistance within the Army to the considerably more affordable StrikeMaster, there was a growing appreciation of its benefits and recognition of the government's strong willingness to acquire the technology.
The growing government push to introduce the StrikeMaster into the army comes despite the French-owned company Thales facing multiple corruption probes across the globe as well as in Australia.
This year, the Norwegian-owned Kongsberg, which is the prime partner on the StrikeMaster program, unveiled plans to build a new missile factory in Newcastle that will eventually produce NSMs near Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy's electorate.
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