Thales and Andrade team up to market Bushmaster armored vehicle in Mexico.

According to InfoDefensa on April 26, Thales and Grupo Andrade will sign a collaboration agreement to jointly present and market the Bushmaster, a protected multipurpose vehicle that will enter the Mexican Security and Defense market.
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Thales Bushmaster (Picture source: Army Recognition)

From this alliance, Thales intends to offer its global logistics support to meet the specific needs of the vehicle during its useful life, InfoDefensa comments. To do this, the support system will establish maintenance centers with local field service representatives and global shipment of spare parts. On the other hand, Grupo Andrade intends to contribute all its business strengths, its local presence and its knowledge of the regional automotive market to generate a synergy of great value that will allow a joint strategy to produce a vehicle tailored to the operational needs in Mexico and the region.

The agreement will also cover industrial collaboration between Australia, France and Mexico. On this basis, Grupo Andrade will install the first production plant in the Americas to meet regional demand, confirming the alliance's confidence in Mexico and its high-quality engineering capabilities.

In addition, this partnership will offer Bushmaster customers a broad portfolio of mission-critical equipment and systems and extensive integration expertise. They will have solutions for an electronic architecture that complies with the GVA (Generic Vehicle Architecture) standard, thus allowing to capitalize on the latest technology in an efficient manner and at the lowest possible cost. Systems to be offered include C41: Command, Communications, Computing and Intelligence; Electronic Warfare (EW); and Against Improvised Explosive Devices (Intelligence, Maneuver and Protection).

The Thales Bushmaster is a heavy-duty armored vehicle designed primarily for military and security operations in hostile environments. It is manufactured by Thales Australia and is used by several armed forces around the world.

The vehicle is built on a modular framework, allowing for various configurations to meet specific mission requirements. It is typically 7.3 meters long, 2.5 meters wide, and 2.7 meters tall. The vehicle's weight varies depending on the configuration, but it typically ranges from 11 to 14 tons. It has a V-shaped hull, which provides excellent protection against improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and mines. The hull is made of high-strength steel and is designed to absorb the impact of a blast and deflect the force away from the crew compartment. The vehicle's armor is also designed to provide protection against small arms fire, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and other threats.

The Bushmaster is powered by a Caterpillar C7 diesel engine that provides a maximum output of 330 horsepower. The engine is paired with an Allison 3200 automatic transmission, which allows for smooth and efficient power delivery. The vehicle has a maximum road speed of 100 km/h and a range of approximately 800 kilometers.

The Bushmaster's suspension system is designed to provide excellent off-road performance and to absorb the impact of rough terrain. It has a fully independent suspension system with long-travel shock absorbers, which allows for smooth and stable driving even over rough terrain. The vehicle also has a central tire inflation system, which allows the driver to adjust tire pressure depending on the terrain. It has a crew capacity of up to 10 personnel, including the driver and commander. The vehicle's interior is designed to provide a comfortable and functional workspace for the crew. It has air conditioning, heating, and a filtration system to provide a clean and comfortable environment even in extreme conditions.

In terms of armament, the Bushmaster can be equipped with a variety of weapons, depending on the mission requirements. It typically has a remote weapon station (RWS) mounted on the roof, which can be fitted with a machine gun, grenade launcher, or other weapons.

Defense News April 2023