Australian Defence

Innovative technology is at the core of our Australian Defence industry with local advanced manufacturers at the cutting-edge of new discoveries and technical applications. But to develop and operationalise these exciting ideas, they require Australian Defence funding. Faced with time consuming and complicated grant applications, it’s easy to become discouraged. So, how does an SME … Continue reading A Defence Innovation Hub success story: SME wins grant for innovative technology development →

A University of Technology Sydney (UTS) project was showcased at the Army Robotics Expo in Brisbane, showing how users can remotely control a robotic vehicle using brainwaves, or electrical signals generated by coordinated neuronic activity in the brain. 

Eleven Australian manufacturers are strengthening their defence manufacturing capability through the latest round of Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority (SICP) grants, sharing $8 million between them. 

The Department of Defence is now seeking input from industry and academia on the Sovereign Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise, introduced by federal government in March to secure Australia’s sovereign defence capabilities. 

VEEM, marine propulsion and stabilisation systems designer and manufacturer, has announced a $3 million order for next full cycle docking for the Collins Class maintenance program from ASC, Australia’s submarine sustainment and maritime services company.  This initial order for the next submarine refit highlights VEEM’S long history of work for ASC and its ability to consistently deliver highly specialised engineering capability for Defence … Continue reading VEEM announces $3 million order for ASC submarine refit →

Australian Defence will partner with local Australian boat builder, Steber International, to deliver a new regional Australia-built Defence science research vessel, strengthening maritime research skills.  Constructed in Taree by Steber International, “Ginan” is a 12 metre research vessel which is part of a $1.8 million project to support maritime research for Defence. The boat will be utilised for science … Continue reading Steber International builds maritime research vessel “Ginan” →

Micro-X has won the Land Forces 2021 National Innovation Award for inventing and manufacturing Rover, a lightweight go-anywhere x-ray machine optimised for high intensity use in field hospitals and remote locations.  Military doctors aim to provide combat soldiers with no less a standard of medical care than they expect at home. However conventional, hospital-grade mobile x-ray … Continue reading Micro-X wins award for CNT mobile medical x-ray →

Eight Australian small businesses will share in more than $3.4 million in grants as part of the federal government’s continued push to grow Australia’s sovereign defence industry. Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said the latest round of Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority grants would provide the businesses and the wider Australian economy with a major … Continue reading $3.4m in grants awarded to defence SMEs →

Volansi, a leader in vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) middle-mile drone delivery services and Quickstep, Australia’s largest independent aerospace advanced composites manufacturer, has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Under this MOU, Volansi and Quickstep will engage with various regulatory, operational, and commercial stakeholders to promote Volansi drones to the commercial and … Continue reading Volansi and Quickstep sign strategic MoU →

Thales Australia has signed a $23.7 million deal with the Australian Government to upgrade the sonar systems of the Navy’s Collins Class submarines. The two contracts are for the design and implementation of the Mine and Obstacle Avoidance System and the High Frequency Intercept Array for the submarine fleet. Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon … Continue reading Thales Australia to deliver enhanced sonars for Collins Class submarines →

Federal Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Defence Richard Marles has visited DECO Australia at their manufacturing facility in Minto, NSW. Marles toured DECO’s facility to observe firsthand their extensive defence capabilities, including surface finishing, protective coatings and non-combustible aluminium building products. DECO founder and director Ross Doonan met with the Deputy Opposition Leader … Continue reading Shadow Minister for Defence Richard Marles visits DECO Australia →

Over 100 companies in Australia have applied to Naval Group to manufacture 23 specialised items of submarine equipment for the federal government’s Attack Class Submarine Program. This follows the call for expressions of interest from Australian industry for hundreds of millions of dollars in work packages for the program. Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon … Continue reading $900m submarine supply program attracts over 100 applications from Australian companies →

The Kingdom of Tonga received their second Australian-built Guardian-class Patrol Boat at a ceremony in Henderson, Western Australia late last month. This is the eighth Guardian-class vessel to be delivered under the Program. The High Commissioner to Australia HRH Princess Angelika Lātūfuipeka Tuku’aho and His Majesty’s Armed Forces’ Lieutenant Colonel Tevita Siu Fifita accepted the … Continue reading Second Australian-built Guardian-Class patrol boat delivered to Tonga →

The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) and the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) have released new Cloud Security Guidance to support the secure adoption of cloud services across government and industry. The Cloud Security Guidance aims guide government, cloud service providers (CSP) and Information Security Registered Assessors Program (IRAP) assessors on how to perform a comprehensive … Continue reading New Cloud Security Guidance to boost cyber security →

A new Defence-led Rapid Response Group has been established to increase domestic stocks of invasive ventilators as part of Australia’s response to COVID-19. The group seeks to identify a prototype using an experimental approach that provides a non-invasive to invasive conversion solution to be applied to all non-invasive ventilators used in Australian hospitals. If the … Continue reading Defence to increase national ventilator capacity →

Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne has addressed the House for the final time as he retires from Australian politics. After 26 years in politics, Pyne addressed the House for the final time on April 4. He has a long career that included ministerial jobs – from education to industry, ageing and defence. On his … Continue reading Defence minister Christopher Pyne has left the parliament building  →

A plan detailing how new jobs will be created to help deliver the Australian government’s $200 billion investment in defence capability was launched at the beginning of March. Minister for Defence Industry, Steven Ciobo, released the first Defence Industry Skilling and STEM Strategy at the 2019 Avalon International Airshow. The strategy outlines how the government will help Australian … Continue reading Defence Industry Skilling and STEM strategy to create new jobs →

The Australian government is backing Australian defence businesses to become exporters with a new dedicated grants program. The Defence Global Competitiveness Grant program will support small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to overcome barriers in accessing export opportunities. The program will provide up to $4.1 million each year to support Australian SMEs as the government works … Continue reading Grants available for Australian defence businesses →

Australian minister for defence, Christopher Pyne, has announced the South Asian region will be the focus for Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 (IPE19). Engagement with India, one of Australia’s key strategic partners in the Indian Ocean region, will be the cornerstone for IPE19 with a number of high-level activities to be conducted to showcase the breadth and … Continue reading Indo-Pacific endeavours focus on building relationship with India →

Minister for Defence, Marise Payne this week announced approval of a $495 million investment in two projects for new facilities at the Larrakeyah Defence Precinct in Northern Territory. The first project includes investing $272 million to support naval operations in the facility, which will deliver a new outer wharf to support the Royal Australian Navy’s major surface combatant ships … Continue reading New facilities at Larrakeyah Defence Precinct to support naval operations →