Port Macquarie-based engineering company Bale Defence has secured a $8.47 million contract to deliver 40 next-gen rough terrain vehicles to the Australian Defence Force.
Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price said the contract will allow the family-owned business to create six new jobs in Port Macquarie and support the ongoing employment of another 18 Australian workers.
“Bale Defence provided the first generation of rough terrain vehicles to the ADF,” Minister Price noted.
“This contract ensures Australia can continue to manufacture, modernise and enhance this critical capability locally, to meet our Defence Force’s evolving requirements.”
Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan said the contract with Bale Defence was ‘yet another example of regional Australia leading the charge for innovation and technology’.
“I’m not at all surprised that a project of this calibre has come out of the Cowper electorate on the Mid North Coast,” Mr Conaghan continued.
“We’re an innovative bunch, and to see that ingenuity rewarded like this is fantastic news for our region.
“Huge congratulations to Bale Defence for the recognition of excellence by securing this exciting contract, and I look forward to seeing the project come to fruition.”
