Electro Optic Systems (EOS) has secured a 108-million Australian dollar (USD 71 million) contract from Hanwha Defence Australia to supply Remote Weapon Systems (RWS) for the LAND 400 Phase 3 Redback IFV program. The agreement includes spares, training, and documentation. EOS will provide the latest R400 RWS, tailored for the AS21 Redback IFV and compliant with Australian Army operational needs. Production will be conducted at EOS’s Canberra facility, leveraging a national supply chain of more than 100 domestic firms.
The R400, a lightweight and modular 30mm system, provides light vehicles with the firepower typically found on heavier platforms. It supports single or dual armament, engaging targets up to 2,000 meters, and can integrate machine guns, grenade launchers, and anti-tank guided missiles through plug-and-play capability. The R400 is fielded by military users across Australia, North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
As part of LAND 400 Phase 3, 129 Redback IFVs were selected in 2023 to replace M113AS4 carriers in a AUD 4-billion (USD 2.63-billion) modernization effort. Hanwha’s Redback won over Rheinmetall’s Lynx KF41, while BAE’s CV90 Mk 4 and GDLS’s Ajax were eliminated earlier in the competition. Local production is planned in Australia, with deliveries starting in 2027 and sustainment and training support continuing through 2029.
