modern australians

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Sun May 14, 2017 3:39 pm

Any idea of the Aussies may be purchasing the Boxer with turret? Is it just being considered and evaluated along with other vehicles?

bishnak · Post by **bishnak** » Tue May 16, 2017 4:00 pm

chrisswim wrote:Any idea of the Aussies may be purchasing the Boxer with turret? Is it just being considered and evaluated along with other vehicles?

It's 50/50. Australia is currently evaluating options for the Cavalry Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV) under the LAND 400 Phase 2 project. These are to replace the aging ASLAV fleet.

The Boxer CRV (offered by Rheinmetall) is one of two vehicles shortlisted after a worldwide open RFT was released. The other is the Patria AMV, with the CV9035 turret (offered by BAE). These two vehicles are undergoing a range of field trials (each company delivered 3x vehicles for the trials).

The GHQ Boxer IFV model looks to be suitable for the Boxer CRV offering. It has the "Lance" manned turret (2 man) which is different than the Puma IFV turret (although some components (e.g. The gun) are similar/same.

Let's hope GHQ release an AMV this year. This vehicle is used in numbers by a number of countries, including in large numbers by Poland and South Africa. Each country seems to have a different turret (if I were GHQ, I'd go with the Polish Rosomak variant with the Italian Hitfist turret). Any variant of the AMV hull should allow mounting of the CV9030 turret already available to make a vehicle that is 'close enough' to the BAE offering for LAND 400.

Both turrets will also have an ATGM fitted.

chatto · Post by **chatto** » Thu May 25, 2017 10:30 pm

Hey dude! Bish and I both have sites if you're interested in looking at our samples

I'm running my Land 400 contenders as being the AMV variant winning - I currently have scratch-built mine using VBL hulls and CV9040 turrets - they aren't the 100% solution (as sadly neither the new Boxer IFV or the CV9040 turret have ATGM launcher pods) but they'll do for now!

For models, this is what I use - I built mine based around closest real-world examples available from GHQ.

Tank: M1A1 AIM Aussie version in the GHQ listings

Bushmaster IFV: Bushmaster from GHQ. Some of mine I have replaced the front light MG with a remote controlled offering from the Israeli 'Achzarit' heavy APC... gives it a 'close enough' look similar to the remote weapon systems used on our Bushies.

ASLAV-PC: I use a hull from a different company... but the remote turret for the ASLAV is the Stryker weapon turret with the smoke launchers removed (our RWS doesn't have smoke launchers, the yank one does)

ASLAV-25: GHQ offering

M777: GHQ offering, tow truck is the GHQ M35... running it is as 'close enough' to the Mack trucks we actually use.

Loggie trucks: Unimogs, still in regular use since the G-wagon/ G-truck project is taking a while to kick into gear.

G-wagen: The G-wagen offering in GHQ's commonwealth page.

M113AS4: GHQ Offering.

INFANTRY: I use a mix. GHQ French infantry provide me with a generic bullpup weapon, some F89 Minimis *for others, that is the SAW/ M-249*, and mortars/ command teams. The French also have AT-4s - I just go with it saying we 'brought some from the US'...

I also use GHQ ultra modern Americans for Javelin ATGMs and other heavy weapons - I also use GHQ ultra modern American infantry, but mostly in a separate unit which I have to represent Special Forces.

I am hoping GHQ makes a British Infantry listing with a Carl Gustav RR so I can make some RR teams... but if they don't I'll likely make up one with some piping and a bit of wishful model manipulation!

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Sat May 27, 2017 4:35 am

What are your sites/blogs? Look forward to visiting.

chatto · Post by **chatto** » Thu Jun 01, 2017 7:37 pm

Hey sorry about the slow reply time Chris. Bish's site is Tinytanks blog, mine is linked below

http://downunderwargames.blogspot.com.au/

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Fri Jun 02, 2017 10:24 pm

Nat,
Looked at your blog, some. I liked it, will have to visit it some more. Some of your kit-bash vehicles are cool.
.
For Australia, I am thinking of utilizing 4 Boxer hulls with the CV90-105 turret (instead of the Boxer IFV turret), paint them in Olive Drab, dark tan and black, as I have with the other Aussies I've painted.

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 11:27 pm

Will Australia get the F-35?
Will Australia get the navy or VTOL F-35 to use for the Canberra and/or Airedale?

bishnak · Post by **bishnak** » Fri Sep 01, 2017 4:28 am

chrisswim wrote:Will Australia get the F-35?
Will Australia get the navy or VTOL F-35 to use for the Canberra and/or Airedale?

Australia is getting F35. The Air Force version (ie non VTOL). There is no plan to buy any to put on the Canberra or Adelaide LHDs, although that was bandied around at one stage.

rct75001 · Post by **rct75001** » Fri Sep 01, 2017 4:45 am

I love hearing of the ASLAV as "ageing".

I remember bouncing around in our 113s when the ASLAV was only a thought.

Perhaps that explains the funny sound my knees make when I stand up..

bishnak · Post by **bishnak** » Fri Sep 01, 2017 4:50 pm

rct75001 wrote:I love hearing of the ASLAV as "ageing".

I remember bouncing around in our 113s when the ASLAV was only a thought.

Perhaps that explains the funny sound my knees make when I stand up..

Yes, well we're still "bouncing around in our 113s..." even after 30 years of ASLAV has been and gone. If the ASLAV is ageing, the M113 must be "ancient"?! I think we can all agree it's time to retire that 60 year old vehicle?

chatto · Post by **chatto** » Sat Sep 02, 2017 8:19 pm

It isn't so much ancient as it now seems to be a cult-like tradition that one must go through at least one exercise in the rear of an M113 to make sure their knees are adequately prepared (read: buggered) for service

Yeah, they definitely need to be put to pasture though. On the modern battlefield those things aren't so much battle taxis as they are easy targets... I always had a laugh when the "lethality upgrade" actually REMOVED the coaxial .30cal and left the turret with just the .50 cal.

The ASLAV will probably hang around for a little longer yet, probably until mid 2020's once they finally get enough of whatever vehicle replaces them... we'll probably see the ** CENSORED ** variants around for a while after the gun cars go... money is on the ASLAV-Surveillance and ASLAV-Recovery vehicles hanging around for a while.

As for the F-35, no dice on the 'carrier' version... in our government's "infinite wisdom", they asked the Spanish to quite literally remove any capability to maintain a fixed aviation wing... so the room that DID have air control is literally empty, and the flight deck itself isn't hardened against jet exhaust... it would buckle under the heat of a VTOL F-35 landing on the deck!

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Tue Apr 10, 2018 12:25 am

Australia has decided to go with the Boxer IFV. Several hundred will be running around fighting and racing kangaroos. Some built in Germany and other produced in Australia.
It is replacing the ASLAV in the Recon role.