Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

It is a very good question. What we have seen, Mr President, is that our current reconnaissance vehicle, the ASLAV, has provided sterling assistance and service to the ADF, both overseas and at home, for more than 20 years. But it is time for it to be replaced. So, over the last three years, we've undertaken an assessment of the options for the next CRV. We put the short-listed vehicles through a rigorous testing program in a range of environments across Australia, and a range of conditions, to test their suitability to Australia's requirements. They were tested with Australia's existing capability, including the Globemaster—the C-17—and our LHD vessels, to ensure interoperability there. They were subject to blast and ballistic testing to assess their survivability from a range of potential threats. In the final analysis, based on capability, the Boxer was assessed as the clear choice, and that is why the government has chosen the Boxer for the ADF.