Victoria’s $ 5b bid to build war machines

THOUSANDS of jobs would be secured for Victoria under a State Government- backed bid to build a $ 5 billion army war machine fleet locally.

The plan will be unveiled today by defence giant BAE Systems, which wants combine its aerospace and maritime business arms to create a major new manufacturing hub at Fishermans Bend.

In welcome news for workers in the devastated automotive industry, BAE will today partner with the Andrews Government in its quest to build state- of- the- art AMV35 military vehicles as phase two of the $ 20 billion Land 400 program.

News Corp can reveal a heads of agreement has been signed, and the company and government will today call for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s support.

The Federal Government will now have to decide whether to back the British- owned BAE company building the fleet in Victoria, or the German- owned Rheinmetall manufacturing it in Queensland.