In preparation for the impending delivery of Thales Bushmaster NZ5.5 vehicles, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has begun to explore how it will integrate Command, Control, Communication, Computing and Intelligence systems (C4I) into the new vehicles.

According to the Request for Information (RFI), released September 30, the vehicles will need to be outfitted with standard equipment being procured through Tranche One of New Zealand’s Network Enabled Army (NEA) program. NEA is an ongoing NZDF effort to modernise the New Zealand Army’s C4I capabilities, through the acquisition of new radios, drones and battle management systems (BMS).

All of the necessary C4I equipment is expected to be mounted on an internal flexible tray which will be common across most variants. However, both the command and control (C2) and medical evacuation-type vehicles will have slightly different internal makeups, necessitating different mounting solutions. The C2 variant is fitted with a larger tray to accommodate a forward communications access node (FACN) while, due to the need to accommodate a stretcher, the medical variants systems are permitted to be mounted forward in the cabin.

In total, New Zealand is procuring 43 Bushmasters across five variants: Maintenance, Troop Carrier, Command and Control, Medical Evacuation and Logistics.

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The RFI stipulates that all of the vehicles will be fitted for, but not necessarily with, wiring and electronics to accommodate a full suite of battlefield radios, including L3Harris’ AN/PRC-158, AN/PRC-160 and AN/PRC-163. A doubly-redundant GPS, mounted in dual antennas, is also part of the requirements. The design solution should also leave room for any future active electronic warfare or anti-improvised explosive device (IED) systems that the New Zealand Army may choose to install.

All of the mounted systems are expected to integrate with a range of possible future additions to the vehicles, including a remote weapons system (RWS), counter-unmanned aerial vehicle platform (C-UAS), or shot-detection sensors.

New Zealand is scheduled to receive its first Bushmaster NZ5.5s from Thales Australia later this year. The RFI accordingly notes that the Army will likely procure a basic interim communications solution, pending the rollout of the fully-operational system. This will allow the service to commence basic driver, crew and maintainer training, while it cycles Bushmaster vehicles through C4I integration and testing with its selected partner.

The RFI states that the expected life of the vehicles and their subsystems is 20 years, which is less than the 30-plus years originally by the New Zealand Ministry of Defence.

The RFI closes November 4 2022 with information gathered expected to inform a final submission to government, ahead of a formal request for tender (RFT).