Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon for Australian Defence Force enters production

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By Tim Beissmann | November 19th, 2010

The first Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon military vehicles have entered full-scale production in Austria ahead of their arrival in Australia early next year.

Mercedes-Benz will deliver 1200 custom-built G-Wagons over the next three years to the Australia Defence Force, the first arriving around two years to the day after the contract was signed with the Australian Government.

The G-Wagon has been designed to Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force specifications following two years of development and testing by Mercedes-Benz and Defence Material Organisation.

Testing included simulations of typical military situations, including the use of RAAF guard dogs and driving at night using night-vision goggles.

Newcastle-based engineering company Varley has also commenced production of modules that will be fitted to the G-Wagons before delivery to the Defence Force.

Hirroshimi

its a bit weird having Germany make our army vehicles

Also where they doing testing in Newcastle today??

Alex

As apposed to Britain making the Land Rovers we had before (which are now Indian owned). And USA making our planes…
DGS

Our long serving Leopard Tanks came from Germany, and once upon a defence minister we had French Mirage fighters also. Our Submarines are a bastardisation of a Swedish design and our Anzac Class frigates seem to have a bit in common with a German design.

Warfare is an international game. To get the best toys you have to shop internationally too.
(you don’t want to get stuck with the stuff from the reject shop, eg: Seasprite Choppers)
Al Juraj

Hirroshimi, would you much rather have an ‘Australian’ Captiva?
Wolfgang

Made in Austria you tool. Just like the Steyr rifle already standard issue with the ADF albeit made under licence in Australia.

Travis Hammond

Newcastle is the location of one of our largest RAAF bases… so i wouldn’t doubt them testing there.

Hirroshimi

Because today I heard the Raaf’s flying by

Hirroshimi

In Newcastle
DGS

Does anyone know if these will be replacing all the Landrover variants that the Army currently use?

Max Power

Yes.
Torque

The ADF said that the G-wagon “will progessively replace the Landrover”. Don’t hold your breath as there is roughly 4,000 Landrovers to replace (We could eventually see them held together with bailing twine and fencing wire). There are more important items to blow the defence budget on such as plywood submarines and the potential failure of the $16 Billion+ F-35 Lightning contract.

Andrew M

Wow, the defence buying new vehicles…..

what was wrong with the WW11 models still getting around, they must have gotten a cash injection from the feds in readiness of the upcoming world war

MK

War: something that happens after the gold price rises.

Shak

Or when the West runs out of something and needs it at a cheap price from somewhere else.

Valet Dabess

Do these get the v12 twin turbo engine?
John of Perth

Heard that MB have started taking orders for the consumer version including an AMG variant.
Yokohama

What happened to the Defender? To me the 6X6 version has been the iconic vehicle of Australian Military force. It’s bit sad that Land Rover will be replaced eventually. I lvoe the “G” but it doesn’t look “Aussie” enough. Even Land Cruisers are more Aussie than G I think