Manufacturing News

Industry the winner at Defence awards

SIX Defence and industry partnerships delivering quality capability for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) have been acknowledged at the annual Australian Defence Magazine Awards dinner in Canberra.

The CEO of the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), Dr Stephen Gumley, congratulated all of the finalists on their achievements.

“They have all made a significant contribution to equipping and sustaining the ADF,” Dr Gumley said, “but importantly they have also worked collaboratively in an environment of trust”.

The 2008 Sustainment Team of the Year award, which recognises excellence in the level of collaboration between industry and DMO personnel in providing maintenance and through-life support services, was awarded to BAE Systems Australia’s C4 Program and the DMO’s Ground Telecommunication Equipment System Program Office.

This partnership also won one of two perpetual trophies named in honour of the renowned Australian industrialist, Essington Lewis.

The other Essington Lewis trophy — for excellence in collaboration between DMO and a small to medium enterprise — was presented to representatives from Aerospace & Mechanical Consulting Engineers (AMCE) and the DMO’s Precision Air Drop System team from Air Lift Systems Program Office (ALSPO).

This AMCE and ALSPO team also won the certificate in the Rapid Acquisition category.

“It was particularly pleasing that this year there was a new award category for rapid acquisitions,” Dr Gumley said.

“These rapid purchases to meet priority ADF operational requirements demand a collegiate approach and are incredibly important to the men and women of our defence force who are deploying on operations.”

A second AMCE and ALSPO team – who developed an enhanced ballistic protection system for the C-130J aircraft to provide aircrews with improved protection without reducing the aircraft’s load carrying capacity – took out the 2008 Team of the Year certificate in the Minor Acquisition Category.

Major defence contractor Thales and the DMO’s SEA 1442 Phase 3 project team took out the 2008 Team of the Year certificate in the Major Acquisition category for their efforts in modernising maritime communication wide area network.

A high commendation was presented to Australian Aerospace and the DMO’s Maritime Patrol System Program Office for their P-3 Orion Safety By Inspection Program, and an encouragement award was presented to CSC Australia and the DMO’s Joint Command Support Environment Project Office.

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