Following a decade of leadership guiding the development of South Australian defence industry capability, Defence SA Advisory Board Chair Sir Angus Houston, has stepped down from his position. An energising and passionate advocate for developing sovereign industrial capability, Air Chief Marshal Sir Angus Houston AK AFC (Ret’d) has played a pivotal role in driving South Australia’s defence industry strategy. Joining the Defence SA Advisory Board in 2012 before taking on the role of Chair in 2014, Sir Angus has been a staunch advocate for maximising Australian industry participation, strongly supporting local industry to capture vital supply chain opportunities and ensuring ...

Australia’s sovereign defence company ASC is opening a new science and technology hub at Adelaide’s Lot Fourteen, to form new research and business connections that can enhance Collins Class submarine sustainment and their Life of Type Extension (LOTE). ASC’s Lot Fourteen office will be a base for both permanent staff and visiting experts across ASC’s engineering team. The Lot Fourteen office would extend research activities undertaken at the company’s Osborne site and provide a new gateway for students and future partners to connect with ASC’s programs. The science and technology hub will build upon the state’s already strong Defence presence ...

South Australian-based Defence Coating Systems has officially unveiled the nation’s largest on-site defence coating facility at their Wingfield factory, which has helped them secure a major defence contract.  The specialised coating company signed a deal with global technology and security company Kongsberg Defence Australia to paint the next generation launcher systems for the Australian Army. The project will see the NASAMS Mk 2 Canister launchers delivered to prime contractor Raytheon Australia over the next 12 months as part of the LAND19 Ph 7B program. It comes after the company invested almost $500,000 into enhancing their Wingfield factory, which now features ...

Successful entrepreneur and Ngarrindjeri man David Mallett is paving the way for greater First Nations representation in the defence sector, with his South Australian company Yanun Project Services playing a key role in the project management of a number of major defence projects. One of only a few First Nations businesses in the state’s defence industry, Yanun specialises in project management, schedule and planning support and project controls services. Since establishing in 2019, the business has grown, now employing seven people including a number of Aboriginal trainees, and is highly sought-after for its services by several major defence suppliers, despite ...

South Australian advanced engineering and construction company, Novafast Holdings, has launched an Australian-first defence manufacturing capability for composite production. The company has developed a world-leading robotic technique to manufacture advanced and automated composite piping and fittings to be used within large scale defence manufacturing, which will be delivered within a state-of-the-art $4 million facility. The new site was officially opened on Tuesday 28 June by Deputy Premier and Minister for Defence and Space Industries, Susan Close. In 2021, Novafast was awarded a $2 million Centre for Defence Industry Capability (CDIC) grant to invest in the robotic technology. Novafast Business Manager ...

Defence consultancy AeroPM has finalised its expansion into South Australia, officially opening its new facility in the Lot Fourteen innovation district. AeroPM is an Australian award-winning professional services consultancy firm specialising in supporting the Australian Department of Defence to acquire complex and significant sovereign capabilities. AeroPM’s Chief Executive Officer, Emily Frizell, said the company’s new location would complement its national headquarters in Canberra and accelerate its growth. “Lot Fourteen is a genuinely collegiate environment and the access to like-minded professionals and companies is just good for business,” Ms Frizell said. “Our Adelaide team has grown strongly over the last three ...

Off the back of a successful trial in 2021, BAE Systems Australia has announced 10 internships are on offer within the national company through the STEM Returners Australia program. STEM Returners targets candidates with science, technology, engineering and maths skills who have had an extended career break or who may be keen to move from another sector into defence and matches them to paid career opportunities. BAE Systems Australia was the first defence company to partner with STEM Returners last year, when they offered six internships through the program, with five people being offered permanent positions as a result. Now, ...

A STEM outreach program aiming to inspire primary aged students has been announced through a partnership with BAE Systems Australia and local specialist education technology company, Lumination. ‘Beacon’ will offer students in Years 4 to 6 an opportunity to solve real world challenges related to sustainability using leading-edge, immersive technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, robotics and 3D modelling. Initially, the program will involve 15 schools across South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia with plans for growth over three years. It will be offered in two delivery modes: a five-day intensive camp or a 10-week ...

South Australian companies Consilium Technology and elmTEK have joined forces, forming a new group that will bolster the State’s growing defence industry and capability. The merger brings together more than 20 years’ combined experience and innovation in software engineering, systems integration, digital sensors, simulation and AI. As well as applications across defence and space, the alliance will also enable the group to increase its scale and capabilities across sectors such as agriculture, mining, logistics, energy and infrastructure. elmTEK co-founder and Managing Director Ganen Ganeswaran said the merger of two experienced and growing companies demonstrates a real maturing of Australia’s digital ...

South Australia’s Aerospace and Information Warfare Forum has been hailed a huge success, with the first-time event drawing key players from the state’s defence and space sectors to take advantage of opportunities on major Defence projects.   The forum, held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Wednesday 22 June, attracted more than 550 attendees across defence industry, the Australian Defence Force, government and academia to discuss the latest developments and supply chain opportunities in the aerospace and information warfare sector. Keynote speakers from the Australian Department of Defence, the Office of Defence Industry Support, RAAF’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Transition Office, ...

South Australian Electronic Warfare company DEWC Systems has unveiled a new brand identity – Asension. As a leading provider of sophisticated electronic components, sensors and systems to the Australian Defence Force, Asension has evolved its brand in line with its new mission and vision that will take the business into the next generation of EW products. Co-founding member and Chief Executive Officer Ian Spencer said the refreshed brand embodies the rapid evolution of the company’s technologies and capabilities. “Over the past few years the business and our technology have evolved significantly from where we started and the things we are ...