PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES TECHNOLOGY CONTRACTS
FOR LOCAL AND EXPORT MILITARY VEHICLE PROGRAMS

The Prime Minister of Australia announced a multi-million dollar export order for Adelaide company Supashock Advanced Technologies to deliver running gear and suspension systems that drive Rheinmetall military vehicles in a major European defence contract.

The Adelaide-based company has also been selected by Rheinmetall to design and supply missile launchers into Australia’s $5.2 billion LAND 400 Phase 2 program, which is delivering 211 BOXER 8×8 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles to the Australian Army. The value of this contract is $9.95 million.

The $12 million international order for 46 vehicle sets comes on the back of years of development and qualification work by Supashock’s Australian workforce to develop critical indigenous capability for Rheinmetall military vehicles that meet the requirements of the Australian Defence Force and armed forces around the world.

Supashock designs and manufactures advanced active and passive suspension mobility and motion systems to meet the needs of a variety of defence vehicles and missions. Founder and Managing Director Oscar Fiorinotto has built the company on the design and manufacture of mobility systems technology for defence vehicles, high performance Automotive OEMs, High End Global Motorsport, and active systems for Autonomous and E-mobility vehicle programs.

“Our suspension and running gear system takes advanced manufacturing for vehicle production into new territory for an Australian company,” Mr Fiorinotto said.

“Each suspension and running gear system developed for these military vehicles is an example of how our team of highly skilled engineers is developing future capability that will perform in combat for Rheinmetall customers around the world.”

Supashock’s advanced suspension and running gear for the military vehicles can meet the demanding mobility requirements of customers around the globe. The systems that will be supplied for the international customer comprise telescopic dampers, bump stops, support rollers, road wheel arms and a new hydraulic track tensioner.

Supashock designed and developed the high capability suspension system at its dedicated design, testing and manufacturing facilities in Adelaide while extensive testing has taken place on in-house lifecycle test rigs and on vehicle testing at Rheinmetall’s Trier proving ground in southwest Germany.

The technology installed in each Supashock damper incorporates more than a decade of design and development. Defence heavy vehicles using Supashock solutions include armoured infantry fighting vehicles, protected patrol and security vehicles, armoured personnel carriers, high mobility vehicles and heavy utility trucks.

“Supashock is bringing this experience to bear on the design and development work we have conducted on military vehicles over the past three years,” Mr Fiorinotto said.

In addition to the suspension and running gear, Supashock is also developing the mechanical and structural parts of the Retractable Anti-tank Missile Platform (RAMP).

The RAMP introduces Supashock’s expertise in vibration, shock and motion control, mechatronics and rapid prototyping. The retractable, drop-in configuration and structural design provide both stiffness and weight saving. Its top plate can accept appliqué armour panels should additional top attack protection for the turret be required.