South Australia’s defence manufacturing industry has received a significant funding boost, with eight local companies securing a combined $2.84 million in the latest round of the Federal Government’s Defence Industry Development Grants (DIDG) program. The funding aims to strengthen and modernise Australia’s defence industrial capability across four streams; exports, skilling, security and sovereign industrial priorities. More than $17 million has been allocated to 44 Australian businesses in the latest rounds of the DIDG program. The grants will drive investment in advanced manufacturing aligned with sovereign defence priorities such as submarines, aerospace, guided weapons, explosive ordnance and advanced technologies. The funding ...

The first of Australia’s new MC-55A Peregrine intelligence aircraft has arrived at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia, further cementing the state’s role as a national hub for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability. The aircraft is the first of four MC-55A to be delivered to the Royal Australia Air Force, with the entire fleet to be permanently based at Edinburgh and operated by No. 10 Squadron. As Australia’s inaugural airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare (ISREW) aircraft, the MC-55A will strengthen Australia’s ability to monitor and protect its strategic interests. Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Stephen Chappell said the ...

South Australian-based Shoal Group have joined forces with global nuclear engineering company Assystem to strengthen Australia’s nuclear submarine supply chain and advance sovereign capabilities in naval technologies and infrastructure. The collaboration brings together Shoal’s expertise in systems thinking, modelling, simulation and analysis – underpinned by their experience in Australia’s submarine industry – with Assystem’s global leadership in nuclear engineering and infrastructure delivery. Assystem is a leading engineering and project management partner to the defence sector, and its UK team will contribute expertise in complex, safety-critical and nuclear environments to Shoal’s technical work. Together, the companies will support local knowledge transfer ...

Australia’s submarine company, ASC, has partnered with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to help develop the skilled nuclear workforce needed to support the AUKUS submarine program. The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create innovative career pathways for Australians in nuclear-related roles. This agreement focuses on building the specialist skills and expertise required for Australia’s future conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines. The partnership is a key step in growing Australia’s sovereign nuclear capability and supports the long-term delivery of the SSN-AUKUS program. It will open opportunities for health physicists and nuclear operators, roles essential ...

South Australian-based companies Swordfish Computing and Space Machines Company were amongst 14 Australian organisations to sign new contracts under the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator’s (ASCA) Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDT) program. Announced on 5 January, ASCA is investing almost $40 million to strengthen Decision Advantage capability across Defence domains such as air, land, space, maritime and cyber. The technologies funded via these contracts will help the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to make better decisions with speed and accuracy, faster than potential adversaries. Swordfish Computing will receive over $3 million, and Lot Fourteen TechCentral tenants Space Machines Company is set to ...

South Australian-based company Nova Systems has joined forces with Australian-owned defence and nuclear specialist Nucleate to support the development of sovereign capability for Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarines. The partnership combines Nova Systems’ expertise in systems integration and complex Defence systems and assurance, with Nucleate’s specialist nuclear knowledge and technical capability. Together, the companies will develop the necessary technical processes and assurance frameworks essential for informed, sovereign decision-making. Nova Systems Managing Director of Systems Integration Mark Slade said the collaboration reflects the importance of Australian-led partnerships in delivering the next phase of AUKUS. “To take the AUKUS agreement to the next ...

Australian defence innovator Aurizn has partnered with U.S. technology leader ISL to accelerate how allied forces train, test and prepare for missions across the electromagnetic spectrum. Aurizn and ISL will combine their strengths to develop advanced modelling tools that help allied nations to map, rehearse and validate missions across air, land, sea and space. These tools will make it easier for allied forces to work together and prepare for complex operations. By integrating their technologies, the partnership aims to accelerate capability development and improve readiness for Australia and its partners. Aurizn brings expertise in creating synthetic environments and advanced electro-optic ...

A significant construction milestone in the delivery of one of the nation’s most critical defence infrastructure projects has been reached, with the installation of four giant aircraft hangar doors at the Deep Maintenance and Modification Facility (DMMF) at Edinburgh. The doors, each wide enough to allow a Boeing 737 to pass through, mark the completion of the external structure of the facility, clearing the way for the completion of the internal fit-out of the building. Once operational, the facility is set to strengthen Australia’s sovereign defence capability, providing on-shore maintenance and modification support for the Royal Australian Air Force’s fleet ...

A new guided weapons facility has been established in Port Wakefield to support the production of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missiles for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Set to begin assembly by the end of 2025 using components imported from the United States, the partnership between Defence and Lockheed Martin Australia will generate approximately 20 local manufacturing jobs at the site, and hundreds more across the supply chain. The development marks a significant milestone in Australia’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise plan that aims to acquire more long-range strike systems and manufacture longer-range munitions in Australia. ...

Flinders University has partnered with Blueforge Alliance Australia (BFAA) to advance maritime research, education and workforce development in support of AUKUS defence programs. The partnership will see Flinders and BFAA collaborate on research and education initiatives that strengthen advanced manufacturing for undersea platforms and build sovereign capability. Under the agreement, Flinders researchers will contribute to supply chain capability uplift while also developing workforce programs for current and future students. Flinders Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Raymond Chan said the agreement with Blueforge reinforces the university’s long-standing leadership in research and education that supports Australia’s current and future defence needs. “Flinders University ...

South Australia is reinforcing its position at the forefront of defence and space innovation through a national collaboration aimed at detecting hypersonic threats from orbit. The Space-based Sensor for Hypersonic Missile Early Warning project, part of the iLAuNCH Trailblazer program, will design and demonstrate an advanced small-satellite system that combines infrared detection technology with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). This capability will enable faster, more accurate detection of hypersonic vehicles; a critical requirement for Australia’s national security and a key focus under AUKUS Pillar II technology collaboration. This project showcases the strength of collaboration across states and industry, ...

Saab Australia and Adelaide University have signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) to strengthen their collaboration and support Australia’s sovereign defence capability. The agreement builds on their long-standing relationship and focuses on future technologies such as distributed command and control, autonomous systems and hypersonics. The partnership will support joint research on key priorities, encourage regular knowledge-sharing and help grow the workforce through internships, work placements, industry events and training programs. It will also tap into research networks to speed up innovation and increase impact. Adelaide University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor, International and External Engagement, Professor Jessica Gallagher, highlights the SPA as ...