Geelong bids for ‘world’s largest’ combat vehicle project

Geelong is vying for the world’s largest project to build an armored combat vehicle, Mayor Darryn Lyons has revealed.
Cr Lyons said he hosted a briefing today (Friday) to outline Geelong’s bid for the Land 400 Sentinel Military Vehicle project.
Members of Parliament and “key stakeholders” heard Geelong should be the base for design, engineering, manufacturing and maintenance of the vehicle, he said.
Land 400 is a $10 billion design-and-manufacturing program with funding from the Australian Government’s Defence Capability Plan. The program needs no further funding for implementation.
“The Land 400 Sentinel project is the world’s largest armoured vehicle project and Geelong is uniquely placed to be the manufacturing hub for the combat vehicle,” Cr Lyons said.
“The Land 400 program will require high technology manufacturing, advanced composite production, software development and maintenance, vehicle system integration and logistics skills.
“Geelong has advanced capability in all these disciplines – obviously we have considerable expertise in vehicle manufacture – at the same time Geelong is a national leader in advanced composite manufacturer, through Carbon Nexus, the Victorian Centre for Advanced Material Manufacturing at Deakin University.
“Adding considerable weight to the argument is the fact that the project would help the transition of Geelong’s existing vehicle manufacturing sector through the re-employment of trained car industry workers.
“Locating a combat vehicle manufacturing and maintenance hub in Geelong will deliver a significant and enduring boost to the regional and Victorian economy.
“Geelong has the right skills, the right facilities and the right location to be the logical home for the land combat vehicle project.
“At the briefing I outlined a compelling case as to why Geelong is the logical home for the land combat vehicle project. I will be calling on all those invited to add their voice to our advocacy campaign.
“Geelong’s future is as a 21st Century smart city. Establishing the Land 400 Sentinel Military Vehicle in Geelong is the smart choice.”