Update: Wellington approves purchase of 43 Bushmasters for New Zealand Army

New Zealand’s coalition government announced on 8 July that it has approved the NZD102.9 million (USD67.5 million) procurement of 43 Thales Australia Bushmaster 4×4 Protected Mobility Vehicles to replace the New Zealand Army’s armoured Pinzgauer Light Operational Vehicles (LOVs).

The new fleet of Australian-designed and-built Bushmasters will provide “better protection for personnel and improved carrying capacity”, said Defence Minister Ron Mark, pointing out that the approved funding will deliver “the vehicles, along with training, a desktop simulator, support equipment and infrastructure upgrades at Linton Camp”.

Delivery of the multirole vehicles is expected to start in late 2022, with the full fleet scheduled to begin operational introduction in late 2023.

“The age and lack of protection offered by the old fleet [of armoured Pinzgauers] make this another investment in New Zealand Defence Force capability that must be made in order to protect our service people,” said Mark.

A Royal Netherlands Army Bushmaster vehicle in Afghanistan fitted with an EOS R400 remote weapon station. Wellington announced on 8 July that it approved the acquisition of 43 Bushmasters to replace the New Zealand Army’s armoured Pinzgauer LOVs. (Royal Netherlands Army)

The need to replace the army’s fleet of ageing land vehicles had been outlined in the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) Defence Capability Plan 2019, with the armoured Pinzgauer highlighted as a vehicle type reaching the end of its operational life and prioritised for replacement.