Australia signed a deal on Thursday to export more than 100 armoured vehicles to Germany, in an agreement being touted as the Australian defence industry's biggest contract ever.
Under the agreement, German arms maker Rheinmetall will build the Boxer heavy weapon carrier vehicles at its factory in the eastern Australian state of Queensland. The vehicles will then be exported for use by the German Army.
The agreement has now been passed through the German parliament, after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese witnessed the signing of the in-principle agreement between Germany and Australia during his visit to Berlin in July.
The agreement, worth over 1 billion Australian dollars ($662 million US) to the Australian economy, will secure more than 600 direct jobs, with even more through the supply chain, Albanese said.
Australia's Minister for Defence Richard Marles said the deal was the the biggest defence export agreement in the country's history.
“The build and export of Boxer Heavy Weapon Carrier vehicles to the German Army highlights a strengthening of the relationship between our two countries," he said in a statement.
