Hanwha Defence Australia is rapidly expanding its footprint in the country through the Geelong Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE), advancing key armored and artillery programs while building a broader industrial ecosystem. The hub supports the delivery and integration of Australia’s 129 AS21 Redback infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), 30 AS9 Huntsman 155 mm/52 self-propelled howitzers, and 15 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles. Several vehicle batches are already in-country for testing and acceptance trials, with initial units showcased at H-ACE.

The Australian government’s accelerated timelines, guided by the Defence Strategic Review, require rapid fielding, and Hanwha’s approach mirrors its parent company’s South Korean production culture—emphasizing on-time, high-cadence manufacturing. The Geelong hub integrates local suppliers, with hull and turret fabrication in Tasmania, final assembly in Victoria, and electronics, software, and subsystems sourced from local and allied partners. This model ensures continuous production, supports depot-level maintenance, future upgrades, and potential export variants.

AS9 Huntsman: Retains K9 family’s 155 mm/52 gun with a 40 km range (extendable to ~60 km with specialized ammunition). Uses “shoot-and-scoot” tactics to evade counter-battery fire.

AS21 Redback IFV: Equipped with T2000 turret, 30×173 mm Mk44S Bushmaster II, fuze-programmed airburst/proximity rounds, and twin Spike LR2 anti-tank missiles. Carries eight infantry dismounts and integrates into Australia’s digital battlefield network.

The combined capability aligns with modern Australian combined-arms doctrine: Redbacks provide protected mobility and precision fire, while Huntsman batteries deliver mobile deep fires against artillery, command nodes, and logistics points. This integration improves sensor-to-shooter cycles, lethality per minute, and interoperability with Five Eyes standards.