Hanwha Defense Australia (HDA) has confirmed that Canadian firm Soucy Defense will supply its composite rubber track (CRT) system for the Redback infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) that is being offered to the Australian Army.
HDA said on 27 April that if the Redback is selected for the Australian IFV contract 50% of Soucy Defense’s CRT technologies will be transferred to HDA to enable manufacturing of track mechanical components – such as road wheels and idlers – to be sub-licenced to Australian companies working on the Redback programme.
HDA said the CRT sub-licencing work is likely to be awarded to “one or more” small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Australia following the completion of ongoing market testing activity involving the Redback IFV.
According to HDA, Soucy’s CRT system offers advantages over conventional metal track designs, including up to 70% less vibration, up to 13.5 decibels of noise reduction, less weight, better manoeuvrability, up to 80% less maintenance, and increased efficiencies.
Soucy Defense has previously partnered with HDA’s parent company, South Korea’s Hanwha Defense, on projects to deliver its CRT system for vehicles operated by the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.
Richard Cho, managing director of HDA, said the partnership with Soucy Defense reflects HDA’s industrial strategy to enter partnerships that will deliver to the Australian Army “the best technologies from Australia and around the world”.
Soucy Defense’s Normand Lalonde, vice-president of business development, said its partnership with HDA is part of the company’s “long-term strategy” to expand its profile in the Asia-Pacific region.
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