Allison Transmission selected for Australian armored vehicle project

Allison Transmission, a leading designer and manufacturer of conventional and electrified vehicle propulsion solutions for tactical wheeled and tracked defense platforms is pleased to announce its X1100-5A3 cross-drive as the propulsion solution for the Hanwha Redback that was recently selected for Australia’s LAND 400 Phase 3 program scoped to replace the M113 Armored Personnel Carriers that have been in service since the mid-1960s.

The Redback is Hanwha’s newest tracked vehicle which was selected to be Australia’s Infantry Fighting Vehicle of the future following rigorous competition with other industry leaders. The advanced vehicle weighs over 40 tons, includes a 30 mm cannon and anti-tank missiles, while carrying 11 soldiers.

“Allison has partnered with Hanwha in South Korea for more than 25 years,” says Dana Pittard, Allison Transmission’s Vice President for Defense Programs. “With their latest announcements in Asia, Europe and Africa, Hanwha has become one of Allison’s largest global Defense customers in both wheeled and tracked applications.”

Hanwha has used over 4,000 Allison transmissions in various tracked and wheeled applications for the South Korean Army and numerous NATO/European, Asian, and North African partners. Nearly half of those transmissions have powered the K9 Self Propelled Howitzer family of vehicles. With the Redback striving to duplicate the success of the K9, Son Jaeil, President and CEO Hanwha Aerospace says they intend to “target advanced markets such as Europe and Australia.”

Penske Australia & New Zealand has been an Allison Authorized Distributor for more than 70 years servicing Allison transmissions using trained technicians and genuine parts. With initial delivery of the Redback scheduled for 2027, Penske will service the X1100 cross-drive transmissions locally, saving significant time and costs for the Australian Defence Force.