APV harnesses pass blast testing in Israel

Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) is proud to announce that the seatbelt harnesses supplied by APV Corporation Pty Ltd passed blast testing earlier this year in Israel with Plasan to support the ongoing work on HDA’s Huntsman Self Propelled Howitzer (SPH).

Designed and made in Australia, the APV harnesses are a natural fit for the work HDA is doing on both the Huntsman and Redback family of vehicles, both in Australia and other markets.

“Through Hanwha, APV have connected with Plasan (our protection systems partner) and agreed to explore using APV harnesses on Hanwha’s vehicles in Australia, with a view to open the door for APV to be a routine supplier to Plasan for other customers,” HDA’s Industry Defence Unit Manager Millie Keating said.

Several successful development blast tests of the Huntsman have already taken place in Israel, in these tests both the AS9 and the AS10 specific and common survivability features were tested.

Plasan was happy to host in these tests team members from both Hanwha in Korea and Australia which contributed to the confidence that the team Huntsman has over the survivability capabilities of the platforms.

The APV seat harnesses were tested as part of the system and performed very well, a Plasan spokesman said. Plasan were very impressed by APV’s design, production and testing capabilities as well as their products that performed under harsh blast conditions.

“Working with APV introduces a great Australian company to Plasan while opening another avenue for the cooperation with Australian industry,” the Plasan spokesperson said.

“APV is proud to be supporting Hanwha Defence Australia and Plasan on these Australian programs,” Harry Hickling APV Corporation Managing Director said. “We have been supplying military occupant restraints into the world’s most advanced protected vehicles for over a decade, keeping Australian and North American troops safe.

“I have been impressed with the commitment of the Hanwha team to true Australian industry engagement as demonstrated by their commitment to include APV in their blast test programs. Providing safety critical products into these vehicles is never easy and this outcome could only be achieved by their commitment to seeking out the best that Australia can offer,” Mr Hickling said.

Both companies have been visiting Israel and Australia to conduct blast testing and build a strong relationship based around a world leading capability.

HDA’s Redback is one of two tenders currently under consideration as part of the Australian Department of Defence LAND 400 Phase 3 project.

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About Plasan

Founded in 1985, Plasan is a global company operating in the area of survivability for land, air and naval platforms for the defense market. With extensive battlefield experience and expertise in automotive systems, and materials, we deliver solutions to support even the most complex vehicle and team missions. The company specialized in development and supply of passive armour technology and solutions for a wide range of wheeled and tracked combat vehicles. The company also focuses on advanced technologies for land maneuvering operations, including unmanned ground vehicles and robotics solutions.

About APV

APV Safety Products is the OEM and aftermarket seatbelt and safety restraint division of APV Corporation Pty Ltd. Based in Campbellfield, Victoria, Australia. APV Safety Products designs, manufactures and certifies seat belts and restraints for a wide range of vehicles and specialist applications. On site is a fully NATA certified component and full vehicle crash test facility providing complete COP testing and Standards certification.