The prototype was built in less than seven months. Over 65% of the components by Stewart & Stevenson were from the FMTV including engine, transmission, steering, instrumentation, electrical and pneumatic systems. In early 1996, Perry Engineering produced a prototype Bushmaster based on an Irish designed Timoney Technologies MP44, including the Rockwell/Timoney independent suspension, and with US company Stewart & Stevenson components from the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV). In September 1995, the request for tender was issued to five shortlisted proposals. In February 1994, the draft specification for the IMV was released, followed in July by the invitation to register interest, with 17 proposals received including by Australian company Perry Engineering with the Bushmaster, and by Australian Specialised Vehicle Systems with the Taipan, derived from the South African Mamba. The Interim Infantry Mobility Vehicle (IIMV), a fleet of unarmoured vehicles similar to the Land Rover Perentie were built and purchased from British Aerospace Australia, from November 1993, to prove the concept of infantry mobility and fill the IMV role, until the IMV entered service. Project Bushranger (Land 116) was created to procure both protected and unprotected vehicles. The 1994 White Paper stated that new land force vehicles would be acquired. The 1991 Defence Force Structure Review identified the Australian Army's need for an Infantry Mobility Vehicle (IMV). Later the Bushmaster's designation was changed to Protected Mobility Vehicle (PMV). The high-hard steel specified for Bushmaster meant that it offered better ballistic and IED protection than existing aluminium alloy clad ASLAVs and M113. As the Bushmaster is lightly armoured, the term Infantry Mobility Vehicle (IMV) was initially adopted to distinguish it from a heavier wheeled or tracked armoured personnel carrier, such as the ASLAV and M113 also in Australian service. The role of the Bushmaster is to provide protected mobility transport (or protected troop lift capability), with infantry dismounting from the vehicle before going into action. The Bushmaster is currently in service with the Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Netherlands Army, British Army, Japan Ground Self Defense Force, Indonesian Army, Fiji Infantry Regiment, Jamaica Defence Force, New Zealand Army and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Bushmaster was primarily designed by the then government-owned Australian Defence Industries (ADI), and is currently produced by Thales Australia following their acquisition of ADI. The Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle or Infantry Mobility Vehicle is an Australian-built four-wheel drive armoured vehicle.
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