The Department of Defence has launched a new project to upgrade and improve the equipment used by members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
Minister for Defence, Christopher Pyne said the Integrated Soldier Systems project, costing more than $1 billion over its 13-year life, would deliver a range of items of equipment to the ADF.
“The project will deliver a broad range of equipment to ensure our personnel continue to meet emerging threats, are less detectable, less susceptible to enemy attacks and able to fight longer and more effectively in challenging conditions,” Mr Pyne said.
“We’re taking a flexible approach, investing up to $240 million between now and 2023, with the flexibility to update and change things as technology develops into the future.”
He said the first tranche would consist of supplements to the basic equipment used by soldiers including body armour, helmets, hearing and eye protection and load carriage equipment.
In addition, he said, there would be field equipment like water purifiers, helmet torches, storage bags, cooking gear and sleeping bags.
“In the future the project will continue to enhance the basic equipment used by soldiers to keep it up to date, as well as looking at things like hand-held translators, portable unmanned aerial vehicles and ideas like exoskeletons or ‘mule’ unmanned vehicles to help soldiers carry their equipment,” Mr Pyne said.
“Delivery of the subsequent tranches will be subject to a range of variables centred on incorporating emerging technologies, some yet to be fully developed, to ensure our soldiers continue to have the best capabilities available,” he said.
