The patrol vehicles,which have never been used on a battlefield,were specially designed and manufactured for the Australian Defence Force at defence contractor Thales’ facility in Bendigo,Victoria.
In a Twitter message posted on Tuesday,Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence said:“Our soldiers absolutely love Australian Bushmasters. But now they have a new crush:the Hawkei. These two would be a perfect match on the battlefield.
“We would truly appreciate their reunion in Ukraine,@AlboMP!”
The post was accompanied by a minute-long video,set to a soundtrack of AC/DC’sBack in Black,showing Hawkeis in action and describing them as a “perfect reconnaissance vehicle”.
Hawkeis,which can carry up to six soldiers,have removable armour and optional mounts for weapons including automatic grenade launchers.
Importantly,they are light enough to be transported by helicopter,allowing them to be airlifted directly onto the battlefield.