Tenders invited for new armoured vehicles

The government has launched a tender program to replace the Army's well-regarded but ageing ASLAV armoured vehicles.

Defence Minister Kevin Andrews wants Australian industry to take advantage of the opportunities in this multi-million dollar acquisition project.

The ASLAV - Australian Light Armoured Vehicle - is an eight-wheeled combat reconnaissance vehicle, which entered service in the late 1990s and has seen action in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr Andrews says the ASLAV fleet will reach the end of its life around 2021.

"The government is committed to replacing and enhancing the Army's fleet of combat vehicles and other land force capabilities to best protect our soldiers," he said in a statement.

Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane said prime contractors bidding for this contract would be expected to maximise Australian industry content.

"When it comes to defence contracts, Australian suppliers want a piece of the pie," he said in a statement.

ASLAVs in Australian service are a variant of the LAV-25, which were mostly manufactured in Canada, with fit-out in Australia.

Australia has 257 of them. The design is based on the 1970s Swiss MOWAG Piranha.

The new vehicles are being acquired under the long-running Land 400 project to upgrade the army's vehicle fleet so it can deal with modern threats.

The next phase will see replacement of the Army's Vietnam War-era but upgraded M113 armoured personnel carriers with a modern infantry fighting vehicle.