Armored Vehicles

Bushmaster PMV

Also known as
  • Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle
  • Bushmaster PMV-M
  • Protected Mobility Vehicle - Medium
  • Bushmaster IMV

The Bushmaster PMV is an Australian 4x4 protected mobility vehicle built by Thales Australia to move troops under mine, IED, small-arms, and artillery-fragment threats. It has documented Australian service in Iraq and Afghanistan, Dutch MINUSMA service in Mali, and a prominent Ukraine aid role after Canberra committed repeated batches including ambulance variants.

Bushmaster PMV, 4x4 protected mobility vehicle, Armored Vehicles
Image source: Bushmaster PMV Ukraine AF 2022-01.jpg

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Australia
Type
4x4 protected mobility vehicle
Service note
1990s-present; transferred to Ukraine during the full-scale 2014 Russia-Ukraine War
Designer
Thales Australia / Timoney Technology Ltd

Specifications

Crew and passengers
1 driver plus up to 9 passengers
Configuration
4x4 wheeled protected mobility vehicle
Weight
15,400 kg gross vehicle mass; 11,400 kg kerb mass in the troop carrier brochure
Dimensions
7.18 m long, 2.48 m wide, 2.65 m high
Engine
Caterpillar 3126E 7.2 L turbocharged six-cylinder diesel rated at 224 kW / 300 hp
Mobility
Governed maximum speed about 100 km/h; maximum road range about 800 km
Protection
Welded one-piece shell with armoured V-shaped hull for mine and explosive-device blast deflection
Armament
Gun ring or remote weapon station options up to 12.7 mm heavy machine gun or 40 mm automatic grenade launcher; 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm machine-gun mounts
Variants

The Bushmaster family is built around a common protected 4x4 chassis, with mission modules and Australian service configurations changing the crew-space layout, command fit, medical fit, weapons station, or specialist equipment.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Troop carrierProtected infantry transport

Baseline troop configuration for carrying a driver and dismounts under protected mobility rather than fighting as a heavy armored personnel carrier.

Sources: Bushmaster, Bushmaster Troop Carrier Brochure

CommandCommand-and-control configuration

Australian procurement has included Bushmasters for command-and-control roles, including vehicles tied to future HIMARS and long-range fires units.

Sources: Bushmaster Troop Carrier Brochure, Government invests in Bendigo with new Bushmasters, Thales will deliver hundreds of next generation protected vehicles

AmbulanceProtected casualty evacuation

Australia's 2022 Ukraine donation specifically included ambulance variants alongside troop-carrying Bushmasters.

Sources: Australia to gift 20 Bushmasters to Government of Ukraine

Electronic warfareSpecialist mission fit

The family includes electronic-warfare and other specialist variants using the same protected mobility base.

Sources: Bushmaster Troop Carrier Brochure

Air defenceAir-defence support configuration

Air-defence configurations appear in the Bushmaster variant set rather than as a separate vehicle family.

Sources: Bushmaster Troop Carrier Brochure

Route clearanceCounter-IED and route-clearance support

Route-clearance use fits the Bushmaster's mine-protected patrol role and specialist equipment options.

Sources: Bushmaster Troop Carrier Brochure

Next generation BushmasterModernized production configuration

Thales announced an Australian order for 268 next-generation Bushmasters, with production planned at Bendigo from 2027.

Sources: Securing advanced manufacturing in Bendigo with new Bushmasters, Thales will deliver hundreds of next generation protected vehicles

Mounted Weapons
Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
FN MAG general-purpose machine gun, 7.62x51mm NATO general-purpose machine gun, Infantry WeaponsFN MAG general-purpose machine gunVehicle-mounted general-purpose machine gun

Soldiers fired a MAG 58 general purpose machine gun off a Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle during live-fire training.

Sources: Setting sights on year ahead

FN Minimi light machine gun, 5.56x45mm NATO light machine gun, Infantry WeaponsFN Minimi light machine gunCupola-mounted light support weapon

A trainee test fired an F89 Minimi light support weapon from the cupola of a Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle.

Sources: Diggers' combined arms training put to the test

Timeline

Bushmaster PMV Key Events

  1. Operational deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan

    Australian War Memorial material places the Bushmaster's first operational deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2005, establishing its combat-service record.

    Sources: Bushmaster blast survivors reunite, Report on the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the Middle East

  2. Dutch MINUSMA Bushmaster hit near Kidal

    A Dutch Bushmaster used on an intelligence-gathering patrol in Mali was damaged by an IED near Kidal, with no occupants wounded.

    Sources: Nederlanders rijden in Mali op bermbom; geen gewonden

  3. First Australian Bushmaster donation for Ukraine

    Australia announced a gift of 20 Bushmasters to Ukraine, including ambulance variants, shortly after Ukraine requested the vehicles.

    Sources: Australia to gift 20 Bushmasters to Government of Ukraine

  4. Ukraine commitment reaches 120 vehicles

    Australia announced another 30 Bushmasters for Ukraine and stated that the new package lifted the committed total to 120 vehicles.

    Sources: Australia gifts further Bushmasters to Ukraine

  5. Command Bushmasters ordered for HIMARS regiment

    Australia ordered 15 additional Bushmasters from Thales Australia in Bendigo to support command and control for the Army's HIMARS long-range fires regiment.

    Sources: Government invests in Bendigo with new Bushmasters

  6. Next-generation production order

    Thales announced an Australian order for 268 next-generation Bushmasters, keeping the Bendigo production line tied to a modernized vehicle build from 2027.

    Sources: Securing advanced manufacturing in Bendigo with new Bushmasters, Thales will deliver hundreds of next generation protected vehicles

Service And Production Context

The Bushmaster is a protected-mobility vehicle family rather than a single troop-carrier fit. Its documented service spans Australian coalition deployments, Dutch MINUSMA patrols, Ukrainian battlefield use, and new Australian production planning for command, long-range fires, and next-generation vehicle needs.

Conflict roles

The compact conflict rows distinguish protected mobility, convoy force protection, ambulance support, and Mali intelligence patrol work where direct sources place Bushmasters in those settings.

Mission configurations

Troop carrier, command, ambulance, electronic-warfare, air-defence, route-clearance, and next-generation entries are treated as mission configurations on a shared 4x4 protected chassis.

Mounted weapons

Australian Defence articles document MAG 58 and F89 Minimi firing from Bushmaster mounts during training, supporting the linked mounted-weapon context without making those guns universal to every vehicle fit.

Sources: Bushmaster; Bushmaster Troop Carrier Brochure; Bushmaster blast survivors reunite; Report on the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the Middle East; Australia to gift 20 Bushmasters to Government of Ukraine; Government invests in Bendigo with new Bushmasters; Securing advanced manufacturing in Bendigo with new Bushmasters.

Media

Bushmaster PMV Videos

Bushmaster PMV Images

Bushmaster PMV, 4x4 protected mobility vehicle, Armored Vehicles - view 1
Source: Bushmaster PMV Ukraine AF 2022-08.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
MOWAG Eagle, Protected light tactical vehicle family, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesMOWAG EagleProtected light tactical vehicle familyThe MOWAG Eagle is a Swiss protected light tactical vehicle family built around reconnaissance, patrol, command, ambulance, and utility roles rather than heavy direct fire. Current GDELS material presents 4x4 and 6x6 versions with modular mission kits, protected crew cabins, and DURO-derived mobility; official military and export-control sources document Eagle vehicles in Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali, and a small batch of older demilitarized Eagle I vehicles reaching Ukrainian service during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.
Thales MCM USV, Mine countermeasures uncrewed surface vessel, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsThales MCM USVMine countermeasures uncrewed surface vesselThales MCM USV is the 12 m uncrewed surface-vessel element of the Franco-British MMCM/SLAM-F mine-countermeasure system. The craft works from shore, a portable command center, or a mothership with payloads such as TSAM towed sonar, a remotely operated vehicle, and supporting command-and-control software, keeping operators outside the minefield while the system searches, classifies, and supports neutralisation of underwater threats. Public sources document prototype deliveries from 2021 and French and Royal Navy production deliveries from 2024 onward; this entry does not claim verified combat employment.
Cougar 4x4 MRAP, 4x4 mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesCougar 4x4 MRAP4x4 mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicleThe Cougar 4x4 MRAP is a U.S.-built protected mobility vehicle developed by Force Protection for patrol, convoy, command, route-security, and troop-transport missions against mine and improvised-explosive-device threats. The record distinguishes direct U.S. use in Iraq and Afghanistan from later transfer or inventory evidence in Yemen and Ukraine, where public sources support presence or supply more clearly than detailed tactical employment.
Sisu GTP, 4x4 protected mobility vehicle, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesSisu GTP4x4 protected mobility vehicleSisu GTP is a Finnish 4x4 protected mobility vehicle built by Sisu Auto around a modular crew cab and interchangeable mission bodies. Official Sisu material emphasizes off-road mobility, STANAG 4569-class protection options, a 16.5-tonne gross weight, and seating layouts from utility to 2+8 troop-transport configuration; Finnish and Swedish procurement has since expanded the family into TGB24 troop-transport, command, medical, CBRN, and air-defense roles, while 2026 defense reporting placed at least one GTP with Ukrainian Special Operations Forces without a public transfer route.

Sources

BushmasterPublisher: Australian Army | Note: Supports Australian Army background, protected-mobility role, crew capacity, dimensions, engine, range, speed, and V-shaped hull protection. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Bushmaster blast survivors reunitePublisher: Australian War Memorial | Note: Direct 2001 War in Afghanistan and 2003 Iraq War conflict-use source documenting Bushmaster operational deployment and Afghanistan blast-survivability context. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Debbie the BushmasterPublisher: Australian War Memorial | Note: Direct 2001 War in Afghanistan conflict-use source documenting a Bushmaster used by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan and preserved by the Australian War Memorial. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Report on the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the Middle EastPublisher: Parliament of Australia | Note: Direct 2003 Iraq War conflict-use source documenting Australian Bushmaster vehicles with Al Muthanna Task Group in Iraq. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Overwatch Battle Group West Bushmaster convoy photographPublisher: Australian War Memorial | Note: Direct 2003 Iraq War conflict-use source documenting an Overwatch Battle Group (West) 2 Bushmaster Infantry Mobility Vehicle in convoy from Tallil Air Base to Camp Ur, Iraq, in March 2007. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Bushmaster Troop Carrier BrochurePublisher: Thales Australia | Note: Supports manufacturer, designer, variant, armament, protection, mobility, and detailed troop-carrier specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Australia to gift 20 Bushmasters to Government of UkrainePublisher: Australian Government Defence Ministers | Note: Direct 2014 Russia-Ukraine War conflict-use source documenting Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles donated to Ukraine, including ambulance variants. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Australia gifts further Bushmasters to UkrainePublisher: Australian Government Defence Ministers | Note: Direct 2014 Russia-Ukraine War conflict-use source documenting additional Bushmasters provided to Ukraine and the stated total of 120 vehicles. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Nederlanders rijden in Mali op bermbom; geen gewondenPublisher: NOS | Note: Direct 2012 Mali War conflict-use source documenting Dutch MINUSMA personnel using a Bushmaster during an intelligence-gathering patrol near Kidal in May 2015. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Nederlandse bijdrage in MaliPublisher: Ministerie van Defensie | Note: Supports background context for the Dutch MINUSMA intelligence-gathering mission in Mali. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Bushmaster PMV Ukraine AF 2022-01.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for a Ukrainian Armed Forces Bushmaster PMV photograph, listed under CC BY-SA 4.0. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Bushmaster PMV Ukraine AF 2022-08.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for a Ukrainian Armed Forces Bushmaster PMV gallery photograph. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Setting sights on year aheadPublisher: Australian Government Defence | Note: Supports Bushmaster PMV mounted-fire context: soldiers fired a MAG 58 general purpose machine gun off a Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle. | Accessed: 2026-06-28Diggers' combined arms training put to the testPublisher: Australian Government Defence | Note: Supports Bushmaster PMV mounted-fire context: a trainee test fired an F89 Minimi light support weapon from the cupola of a Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle. | Accessed: 2026-06-28Government invests in Bendigo with new BushmastersPublisher: Australian Government Defence Ministers | Note: Supports 15 additional Bushmasters built by Thales Australia in Bendigo for command and control of the Army's HIMARS long-range fires regiment, and direct 2014 Russia-Ukraine War use by Ukrainian forces in medical evacuation, command-and-control, and fire-support roles. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Securing advanced manufacturing in Bendigo with new BushmastersPublisher: Australian Government Defence Ministers | Note: Supports the 268-vehicle Australian Army order, Thales Australia Bendigo manufacture, protected-mobility fleet context, Netherlands replacement context, and LAND 8113 production context. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Thales will deliver hundreds of next generation protected vehiclesPublisher: Thales Group | Note: Supports next-generation Bushmaster production context, including Australia's 268-vehicle order and planned Bendigo production from 2027. | Accessed: 2026-06-30