Chris Picton MP
Minister for Defence & Space Industries
Two local South Australian companies have teamed up to develop, manufacture and successfully test technology that could soon be used by Ukrainian defence forces to shoot down drones.
South Australian defence companies Praetorian Aeronautics and Zero Dawn have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support development of a critical defence capability that will enhance air and missile defence systems in Australia and allied nations.
The signing follows a test exercise last week, where the companies successfully conducted ground-based blast testing of the Zero Dawn munition integrated within Praetorian’s Arrow interceptor. The test was witnessed by Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, with Praetorian and Zero Dawn intending to export the capability, in 2027, for Ukraine’s urgent operational demand.
The agreement will seek to integrate Zero Dawn’s locally-manufactured munitions into Praetorian’s counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS), Arrow, which is designed to detect and intercept drones and other unmanned systems in contested environments.
Fully designed and manufactured in South Australia, the technology will advance the state’s role in supporting the national Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise, supporting sovereign manufacture and enhancing air and missile defence capabilities.
Established in 2024, Praetorian employs 50 people and has attracted $15 million in capital to build its technology capability, with potential to create up to 60 new jobs as it expands its manufacturing operations in Adelaide.
Headquartered at Lot Fourteen, Zero Dawn is a 100 per cent Australian and veteran owned defence company developing sovereign capability in munition design, manufacturing and energetics. The company expects to expand its research, development and manufacturing activities, creating at least 15 new technical positions in regional South Australia from 2027.
Signed by Praetorian Aeronautics Founder and CEO Brett Hill and Zero Dawn CEO John Giffard, the MoU was witnessed by the Minister for Defence and Space Industries Chris Picton in Adelaide last week.
Under the MoU, the companies will work together to progress detailed integration, testing, certification, production and market development opportunities, strengthening Australia’s position within allied defence supply chains.
GWEO is a national priority for the Australian Government Department of Defence, with South Australia possessing long-standing credibility and capability in delivering sovereign testing infrastructure and advancing manufacturing capacity in the domain.
The partnership will strengthen South Australia’s defence industry by creating opportunities for local suppliers across manufacturing, production, testing and sustainment, helping build a resilient sovereign supply chain and keeping critical defence capability, expertise and intellectual property in South Australia.
Quotes attributable to Chris Picton
South Australia has a strong record of building the industries, technologies and skilled workforce Australia needs for its future defence capability.
Companies such as Praetorian and Zero Dawn demonstrate the opportunities created when advanced technology, private investment and South Australia’s innovative defence ecosystem come together.
It’s great to see these South Australian companies join forces to develop local innovation, manufacturing and export opportunities.
They are creating highly skilled jobs, strengthening Australia’s sovereign industrial capability and building globally relevant defence technology right here in South Australia.
Quotes attributable to Brett Hill, Founder and CEO Praetorian Aeronautics
Counter-autonomy is becoming one of the defining defence and industrial challenges globally, and we believe Australia should be building sovereign technology in this field, not simply importing it.
Our partnership with Zero Dawn is another step in turning that technology base into a complete Australian industrial capability.
Adelaide will remain our global headquarters, core engineering centre and design authority as we expand internationally, with the potential to create up to 60 additional manufacturing jobs here in South Australia.
That is the opportunity: Australian technology, Australian intellectual property and Australian advanced manufacturing serving a global allied market.
Quotes attributable to John Giffard, CEO Zero Dawn
This collaboration brings together complementary Australian technologies to create a more complete sovereign counter-autonomy capability.
Zero Dawn has developed modular warhead and fusing technologies designed to support modern autonomous systems, and working with Praetorian provides a clear pathway to integrate those technologies into a broader system architecture and show a clear, concise pathway to market.
The objective is not simply a technical demonstration. We intend to work together through integration, qualification, certification and production readiness so that Australian and approved international customers can access a credible Australian developed capability.
