South Australian-based defence manufacturer, XTEK, has secured two Department of Defence grants totalling more than $800,000 that are set to boost production and accelerate product development. The purchase of a new ‘CNC Virtual Machining Centre’ at the company’s Adelaide manufacturing facility will be supported by a $164,268.50 grant from the Defence Global Competitiveness program. The equipment will allow for safer and more complex machining, reducing the cost of outsourcing and improving productivity. This project is set to accelerate new product development and prototyping, with completion expected by 29 October 2023. Meanwhile, a $658,209.20 grant through the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority ...

A new project is seeking to enhance detection and clearance of underwater mines close to shore using autonomous technologies that will improve safety for Navy personnel. The project will design, develop, test and evaluate various teams of micro Autonomous Underwater Vehicle swarms and Autonomous Surface/Subsurface Vessels to provide an autonomous mine clearance capability that operates in the amphibious zone close to shore. The amphibious zone is often extremely difficult to navigate when searching for underwater mines, due to tides, waves and currents, low visibility and a low communications environment. The technology being developed would seek to supplement high-risk activities undertaken ...

A partnership between aerospace giant Boeing and the University of Adelaide is set to assist students studying science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in 2023. The University of Adelaide Higher Education Relations Grant will be used for sponsorship of student programs and initiatives promoting diversity in STEM, with the intent of inspiring a new pipeline of student talent and technology development. Aiming to benefit approximately 620 students, the grant will support Indigenous students, high school students, women in STEM, students who compete in the Australian Rover Challenge and first year students participating in the University’s design and build challenge. The ...

The Australian Industry & Defence Network – South Australia (AIDN SA) Young Achiever Award 2022 was announced at the annual AIDN SA Christmas and Garden Party last week. Southern Launch Regulatory Lead Eamon Lawson received this year’s honour, selected from a competitive field of nominees. Eamon was recognised for his important contribution to critical law reform to support the development of Australia’s first sovereign end-to-end space capability covering payload development, rocket manufacture and launch into space. Space launch is an important pillar in Australia’s sovereign defence capabilities. Playing a lead role in navigating legislative and regulatory frameworks across projects for Defence directly ...

BAE Systems Australia has been named as a key employment partner for South Australia’s first technical college at Findon. Aligning with the State Government’s Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering industry focus, the partnership between BAE Systems and the Findon Technical College will ensure a pipeline of skilled workers for the defence and naval shipbuilding industries. The College will offer years 10-12 students the chance to learn in world-class facilities and will provide career pathways to welders, fabricators, computer assisted designers, programmers, robotic technicians and more. Head of Resourcing and Early Careers at BAE Systems, Georgette Elston, said the College is important ...

A new contract has been signed between Osborne based companies ASC and QMS NDT & NACE(QMS) that will see more than 25 local jobs supported through the delivery of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and metal survey services. The new deal will see QMS deliver x-ray and radiographic testing for Collins class submarines as part of the full-cycle docking program. This technology enables precise analysis of the integrity of the structures’ welds, pipe wall thicknesses, and other metallic components without physical disruption and will be used by ASC teams to effectively target maintenance activities. ASC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Stuart ...

Lumination, an Adelaide-based company specialising in bringing classroom lessons to life using immersive technologies, is working with the Defence Innovation Hub to explore how it might transform training environments for the Australian Defence Force.  Lumination integrates immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (Ai) into the school curriculum. It wasn’t until an interaction with defence company BAE Systems that the Lumination team considered their specialist knowledge could play a role in training ADF personnel. BAE Systems suggested Lumination approach the Defence Innovation Hub, which invests in technologies with the potential to enhance Defence capability. Lumination’s chief commercial ...

South Australian company REDARC Defence & Space has been awarded a $23 million contract for the supply of lighting and related parts for the Royal Australian Navy’s anti-submarine warfare frigates. The Lonsdale-based company will be responsible for the manufacture and delivery of 12,600 LED lights for the first three Hunter class warships being built at the world-class Osborne Naval Shipyard. The contract is the result of a five-year collaboration between REDARC and UK LED lighting business MARL International. The companies will partner to produce 79 different types of lights for each frigate, including bunk and flood lights, weatherdeck and step ...

University students currently enrolled and undertaking third-year or honours year studies in STEM are now able to apply for an exciting scholarship placement with a local defence company. The South Australian Government’s Defence Industry Scholarship Program provides students with grants of up to $10,000 which can be used to support expenses associated with the placement. The program is designed to support the defence industry to build in-demand skills, knowledge and experience, through work-based learning opportunities for university students and addressing key skills demand areas. Defence SA Chief Executive Richard Price said the program, now in its fourth year, had already ...

BAE Systems Australia has secured a $45 million, three-year extension to its Royal Australian Navy contract to provide in-service periscope support for the Collins Class submarines. The contract extension will see BAE Systems continue to deliver maintenance and logistics services, engineering and supply support and program management of 16 periscope systems at BAE Systems’ purpose-built Mawson Lakes facility in South Australia and HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. Each Collins Class submarine has an Attack and Search periscope that are extensively overhauled every seven years to ensure their materiel readiness and structural integrity. BAE Systems Australia Managing Director Defence Delivery, Andrew ...

Adelaide’s Supashock Defence Technologies and Rheinmetall have signed a major contract to supply Missile Launch Pods (MLP) to the Hungarian Armed Forces. The agreement will see 84 missile launchers exported under a two-year contract, creating approximately 25 jobs within Supashock and a further 85 roles within the local supply chain. Developed in conjunction with Rheinmetall Electronics and Rheinmetall Land Systems Germany, the MLP’s design was achieved with Supashock’s expertise in kinematics, mechatronics, electronics, composite design, analysis and rapid prototyping. The use of the composite materials – compared to traditional metal alternatives – offers a light-weight structure that maintains strength and ...