Following the announcements regarding the expansion of naval shipbuilding programs in South Australia, ASC has launched the Sovereign Shipbuilding Talent Pool for skilled workers impacted by the industry changes. ASC says options to re-deploy displaced workers throughout South Australia’s current and planned shipbuilding programs are being explored, as well as plans to build the skills crucial for the nuclear-powered submarines program announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week. This talent pool will provide affected employees with the opportunity to transition into positions within ASC, ensuring the shipbuilding workforce is maintained whilst developing new skills necessary. “ASC is committed to ...

MEDIA RELEASE South Australia has today been cemented as the shipbuilding capital of the country with thousands of jobs for today, tomorrow and decades to come. The new nuclear-powered submarines will be built in South Australia as announced by the Prime Minister early this morning. And in another momentous declaration that South Australia is the home of defence – the Collins class full-cycle docking will remain at Osborne. The Collins life-of-type extension will now continue beyond 2026 as all six boats undergo capability extensions in South Australia. In another huge win for local jobs, the Navy’s three Hobart class destroyers ...

Kongsberg Defence Australia has announced their team has achieved a critical production milestone for the LAND 19 Phase 7B program, passing Factory Acceptance Tests of the first two Fire Distribution Centres (FDC) for the National Advanced Surface to Air Missiles Systems (NASAMS). As part of the program — which sees the FDCs being assembled at the Raytheon Centre for Joint Integration at Mawson Lakes — Kongsberg Defence Australia is supporting Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace and prime contractor Raytheon Australia to deliver the new Short-Range Ground-Based Air Defence capability to the Australian Army. The NASAMS system will enable the Army to ...

As the Australian defence industry prepares for the Naval Shipbuilding Plan, having a workforce that is well trained and informed is critical to defence industry capability. No matter if you are just starting out in the industry or would like to upskill and refresh your knowledge around maritime assets and systems, international engineering, science and technology consultancy BMT offers a wide range of courses for individuals taught by experts. With experience as both operators and designers of defence systems, BMT’s experts provide detailed insights into the process for design and management of warships and submarines. Keen to find out more? ...

A $1.2 million grant for Australia's defence sector has been announced by Minister for Defence Industry, Melissa Price, this morning. The grant has been designed to support the growth and export opportunities of six Australian businesses within the industry, including two South Australian companies: JTM Gaskets and ElectroCad Australia. JTM Gaskets are set to receive $211,260 which will be put towards purchasing new equipment in order to increase production volumes. Electro Cad will receive $240,000 to install a clean room and purchase equipment allowing them to manufacture complex defence components. Read the full story here.   Image Credit: ElectroCad Australia

SA-based high speed welding technology manufacturer K-TIG is expanding its international presence thanks to a new distribution agreement with leading automation supplier Key Plant Automation to sell K-TIG products in the UK. The agreement will provide a strong platform for future growth in the UK and wider EU markets and follows a previous agreement with Key Plant’s USA subsidiary earlier this year to sell K-TIG products in North America. To support the expansion, K-TIG are set to establish a UK based direct sales force to work closely with distribution partners, and will also work with Key Plant to establish an ...

Tasmanian company CBG Systems and Spanish engineering firm Ghenova have recently established a presence in South Australia’s Lot Fourteen, further strengthening the state’s defence industry capability. The companies join a growing number of defence and space businesses at the Defence and Space Landing Pad, managed by Defence SA, after receiving funding support through the Department for Trade and Investment’s South Australian Landing Pad grants program. CBG Systems specialises in the supply and installation of fire, thermal and acoustic insulation for marine, military, industrial and commercial applications. The firm, which also designs and manufactures specialised antenna systems for navy and land-based ...

The University of South Australia has partnered with the Australian Government to offer small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) the opportunity to upskill employees with in-demand engineering capabilities at no cost. The 100% online Associate Degree in Engineering commences in late September, with course fees fully funded by the Australian Government for eligible companies. To be eligible, employers must have no more than 200 staff and demonstrate a need for engineering skills. Employers will need to nominate their employee(s) to participate in the program and employees are required to remain with the nominating employer for the duration of the two-year program. This is ...

South Australian companies Novafast and Abstec Calibrations have secured their share of $8 million in Federal Government funding to boost local defence manufacturing capability. The Adelaide businesses are among 11 innovative Australian companies to receive funding through the latest round of the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority (SICP) grants, which help build Australia’s sovereign industrial capacity to support the Australian Defence Force. Recently diversifying into the defence sector, Novafast was awarded over $1.3 million to support the creation of a new state-of-the-art production line. The factory is set to include new robotics equipment for manufacturing technologies in composite products. Novafast Business Manager David ...

South Australian-based company Silentium Defence has secured a $7.4 million contract from the Department of Defence to supply its MAVERICK M-series passive radar system to the Australian Army for capability development and evaluation activities. Silentium’s MAVERICK M-series is the first high-performance, low-power, soldier-portable, covert radar system for air defence, land, and maritime surveillance. It provides critical sovereign capability for the ADF and its allies and an undeniable advantage in the air, land, and maritime domains – the ability to see without being seen. Read the full media release here