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Regional NSW-based maritime engineering company Birdon has secured a $125 million contract to design and build a new fleet of revolutionary amphibious vehicles for the Australian Army to replace its aging Lighter Amphibious Resupply Cargo vehicle (LARC-V).
The agreement, which will see the Australian-owned Birdon fulfill the order from its Port Macquarie facility, comprises one prototype and 15 Amphibious Vehicles – Logistics (AV-L) for the Australian Army, which the company says marks a major milestone in the government’s Land 8710 Littoral Manoeuvre Program announced in 2024.
Birdon says the new fleet of amphibious vehicles will significantly enhance the Australian Defence Force’s amphibious capabilities with improved speed, safety, reliability and performance.
Birdon CEO Jamie Bruce says the AV-L contract strengthens Australia’s sovereign defence capability and showcases Birdon’s leadership in innovative maritime and automotive engineering excellence.
“The project reflects Birdon’s commitment to delivering Defence-ready solutions tailored to Australia’s unique operating environments,” he says.
“It builds on our proven expertise in integrated design, engineering, logistics and construction.”
Birdon says the AV-L design integrates cutting-edge technologies to deliver superior performance across both land and sea.
It is engineered to operate as a deep-sea vessel capable of reliable surf zone transitions, while also meeting Australian road safety regulations for on-land mobility.
Designed to withstand Australia’s harsh environmental conditions, Birdon says the AV-L can sustain immersion in corrosive saltwater “far exceeding the limitation of most amphibious vehicles”.
“It is built to perform in extreme humidity, high temperatures, rough surf zones, and different beach landing zones, ensuring operational readiness in diverse terrains and climates,” says the company.
The vehicle’s advanced propulsion and steering systems combine water jet and dynamic drive train technologies, enabling seamless transitions between marsh, clay and surf environments. Enhanced in-water manoeuvrability, improved speed, and responsive reversing performance allow for agile operations, including rapid rescues in emergency scenarios.
The latest contract follows an announcement yesterday by Birdon that is has been awarded a fixed price contract to build a Response Boat-Small (RB-S) Demonstrator for the US Coast Guard (USCG).
The company says the program is a critical initiative by the USCG to evaluate advanced capabilities for key missions such as Search and Rescue (SAR); Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security (PWCS); Drug Interdiction (DI); and Migrant Interdiction (MI).
Birdon says its design was selected for its ability to meet stringent performance requirements.
While Birdon Group is headquartered at Port Macquarie, the company has a significant global presence with operations in the US, Europe and Asia supporting the maritime engineering, shipbuilding and defence sectors.
The group, which also builds ferries and provides ship repair, dredging and industrial marine services, says it operates “where technical complexity, regulatory scrutiny and operational risk intersect”.
All of the AV-L vehicles to be delivered for the latest Australian Army will be built at Birdon’s shipbuilding yard in Port Macquarie.
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