Weaponry of the Australian Army

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Australian Army

Components Regular Force Army Reserve List of current regiments Structure Equipment Weaponry and equipment History History of the Australian Army Australian and New Zealand Army Corps Personnel List of senior officers Officer rank insignia Enlisted rank insignia

Contents 1 Infantry Weapons 2 Armoured Vehicles 3 Artillery 4 Aircraft 5 Combat Uniform of the Australian Army 6 Future Equipment 6.1 Infantry Weapons 6.2 Armoured Vehicles 6.3 Artillery 6.4 Aircraft 7 References

[edit] Infantry Weapons

• F88 Steyr - the F88, a derivative of the Austrian designed Steyr AUG assault rifle, is the Australian Army's standard personal rifle, replacing both the L1A1 SLR and the M-16 from front-line service in the late 1980's. It fires the NATO standard 5.56 mm ammunition. The F88 is the standard version, F88c is a carbine with a short barrel, and F88s can be fitted with a variety of sights. The F88 is also manufactured under licence in Australia by Australian Defence Industries (ADI) Limited.
• M4 Carbine - the M4 Carbine is used by the SASR and commando battalions.
• F89 Minimi - the F89 is the Army's standard Light Support Weapon, replacing the M60 GPMG. The F89 is also manufactured under licence in Australia by ADI Limited. There are two F89's in each infantry section.
• FN MAG 58 - the MAG 58 is the official general purpose machine gun of the Australian Army, replacing the M-60 GPMG from the role.
• Accuracy International AW sniper rifle - the Accuracy International AW sniper rifle is the standard-issue sniper rifle in the Australian Army today. The rifle replaced the Parker-Hale Model 82 sniper rifle in the late 1990's. The AW sniper rifle is officially known as the SR-98 in Australian Army service and is manufactured under licence in Australia by ADI Limited.
• AW50F - the AW50F is a high-calibre variant of the Arctic Warfare sniper rifles suited to the anti-materiel role. It is chambered for the .50 BMG, and is used mainly with Raufoss Mk211 HEIAP rounds.
• Browning Hi-Power self-loading pistol - the Browning Hi-Power, chambered for the 9 x 19 mm NATO, is the standard-issue service pistol of the Australian Defence Force.
• M252 mortar - the M252 is the army's 81 mm mortar.
• M72 Light Armour Weapon - the M72A6 is a 66 mm one shot anti-tank weapon.
• 84 mm Carl Gustav Medium Range Anti-Armour Weapon (MRAAW) - the Carl Gustav is a recoilless rifle primarily used in the anti-armour role.
• Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) - the Javelin is a long-range, guided anti-armour missile.
• M18A1 Claymore mine - the Claymore is a command-detonated anti-personnel fragmentation weapon.
• ADI F1 grenade - effective killing radus of 6m.
• M2 machine gun- not used in the infantry in sections but a heavy support weapon mounted on vehicles. It uses .50 BMG cartridge and has over 2000m effective range.

[edit] Armoured Vehicles

• Leopard 1 MBT - The Australian Army operates a total of 71 Leopard AS1 main battle tanks, equipped with a 105 mm rifled gun. These are in the process of being replaced by 59 M1 Abrams.
• ASLAV - The Army operates 255 ASLAV vehicles, in a variety of roles including formation reconnaissance, as an infantry fighting vehicle, armoured ambulance, recovery vehicle.
• M113 - The Army also has 700 M113 vehicles, which are used in the armoured reconnaissance and armoured personnel carrier roles, primarily by the Army Reserve, as well as by the Army's single battalion of mechanised infantry.
• Bushmaster - The Army has ordered a total of 289 Bushmaster infantry mobility vehicles, with deliveries beginning in mid 2005. The Bushmasters will primarily be used to motorise the 7th Brigade though B Squadron, 3/4 Cavalry Regiment will also operate the lightly armoured vehicles in support of the 3rd Brigade.
• M1 Abrams - In September 2006 the Army received it first shipment of Abram tanks which were to be sent to Puckapunyal,Victoria.

[edit] Artillery

• M198 howitzer - The M198 is the Army's main large artillery piece
• L118 Field Gun - The 105 mm field gun is the Army's primary artillery support weapon.
• M2A2 howitzer - The 105mm M2A2 is used by most Army Reserve artillery units.
• RBS-70 - The RBS-70 is a man portable SAM system, and is set to be the only SAM system in the Australian Army upon retirement of Rapier. More sophisticated Bolide missiles have now been purchased.

[edit] Aircraft

• S-70A Blackhawk - The Blackhawk is the army's primary medium lift/assault helicopter.
• CH-47 Chinook - The army operates Chinooks in the heavy lift role.
• UH-1 Iroquois - The Iroquois is used as a utility helicopter operated by the army.
• OH-58 Kiowa - The Kiowa is utilised in the reconnaissance and battlefield surveillance role.The Kiowa is being replaced by the Tiger Armed Reconnaissace Helicopter.
• ARH Tiger - Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter first of 22 in Service modified and upgraded version of the Tiger HAP.

[edit] Combat Uniform of the Australian Army

The combat unifrom of the Australian Army is the Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform, or DPCU. This is used by all branches of the Australian Defence Force. DPCU is designed to blend into the diverse natural terrain of Australia, including bushland, desert or tropical rainforest. Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform is also referred to as AUSCAM (AUStralian CAMouflage).

There are two versions of the DPCU uniform that are in use by the Australian Defence Force.

1) the standard-issue DPCU uniform which uses shades of green and is issued ADF-wide.

2) the desert DPCU uniforms which are issued to Australian personnel operating in desert environments. Desert DPCU has most recently been seen in use by personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Disruptive Pattern Combat Uniform is similar in appearance to the tropical camouflage uniforms the United States Marine Corps used during World War II and the Korean War as well as the "duck hunter" camouflage pattern uniforms US Special Forces soldiers used during the early years of the Vietnam War.

The Defence Science and Technology Organisation is developing materials for use in combat uniforms which will reduce night-vision detection.^[1]

[edit] Future Equipment

[edit] Infantry Weapons

The Advanced Individual Combat Weapon (AICW) is a prototype assault rifle being developed in Australia. The AICW combines a standard 5.56 mm assault rifle, modeled on the F88 Austeyr, with a multiple-shot grenade launcher integrated into a single weapon. It is still in testing stages and may potentially replace the F88 by 2010 - 2012.

[edit] Armoured Vehicles

The army has purchased 59 M1 Abrams tanks to replace the Leopard 1 and 7 M88 Hercules II armoured recovery vehicles. In addition, 299 of the new Bushmaster infantry mobility vehicles will also be delivered (including a small number for the RAAF).

[edit] Artillery

The Land 17 project has been initiated to choose replacements for the army's 155 mm and 105 mm artillery.

[edit] Aircraft

The army is reorganising its army aviation, through the purchase of 22 Tiger attack helicopters, and 46 Eurocopter MRH-90 (a variant of the NH-90) utility helicopters.
In addition, the army will also acquire a number of UAVs (both the Skylark and I-View 250 have been purchased) and will equip the 20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment, which is currently forming.

[edit] References