South Australia’s defence and advanced manufacturing sectors have received a major boost with US aerospace company Life Support International (LSI) opening its first facility outside the United States in Adelaide. Located in Elizabeth South, the new service centre will maintain life-saving equipment used on maritime patrol aircraft, including the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) P-8A Poseidon fleet based at RAAF Base Edinburgh. LSI’s flagship product, the UNI-PAC III, is a 20-person life raft deployed from the aircraft’s bomb bay, which previously had to be shipped back to the US for servicing. With the new Adelaide facility, maintenance will now be ...

South Australian advanced manufacturer AML3D has secured a major contract to supply custom metal 3D printing systems to Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), a division of HII – the largest shipbuilder in the United States. Under the $4.5 million deal, AML3D will deliver two large-scale ARCEMY® systems to NNS, expanding the use of the company’s technology within the US Navy’s industrial base. The systems are scheduled to be installed and operational mid-2026, marking the ninth and tenth ARCEMY® systems delivered to support US Navy supply-chain modernisation. AML3D CEO Sean Ebert said the latest order underscores the company’s growing role in US ...

The South Australian-based School of Information Operations (SOIO) is set to expand its defence training services in Europe, following the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) between Poland-based radar and electronic warfare provider XY-Sensing and Swedish defence consultancy Westberi AB. The new international partnership will enhance defence capability across Europe and Australia, with the three organisations intending to collaborate on defence technology, sensor systems and military training solutions. The LOI outlines a shared commitment to joint research and development, co-marketing, technology integration and product distribution, with a primary focus on Europe and Australia, and potential expansion into the broader ...

Saab Australia (Saab) has secured a three-year contract extension with the Commonwealth of Australia to continue supporting the Australian Army’s Lightweight Multi-Mode Radar (LMMR) system, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening the nation’s radar capabilities. Under the renewed contract, Saab will deliver comprehensive support services including engineering, maintenance, logistics, storage and distribution from its South Australian operations hub at Cavan, in collaboration with equipment manufacturer, SRCTec. The AN/TPQ-49 LMMR, which Saab has supported since 2015, provides short-range protection against indirect fire and airborne threats. This capability plays a vital role in safeguarding critical assets and enhancing the Army’s ground-based air defence ...

The Defence SA Advisory Board has welcomed former Chief of the Australian Army, Lieutenant General Rick Burr AO DSC MVO (Retd) as its new Chair. Burr, who joined the Board in October 2024, replaces highly respected Vice Admiral Russ Crane AO CSM RAN (Retd), who has stepped down after 14 years of distinguished service, including as chair. His tenure and expertise have made a pivotal contribution to the state’s defence landscape. Bringing decades of strategic and operational experience to the role of Chair, Burr said he was honoured to lead the Board at such a pivotal time in the state’s ...

South Australia captured global attention at September’s Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) in London, proving once again that the state's defence industry is punching far above its weight on the world stage. With more than 60 local companies at the event, the state showcased the full spectrum of its capabilities, from advanced undersea technology to world-class manufacturing, backed by a highly skilled workforce ready to play a lead role in the AUKUS partnership. The buzz among industry started even before the exhibition opened with Defence SA leading a high-powered trade mission to the UK, taking along 18 South Australian ...

In a major boost to the state’s defence and space capabilities, South Australian family-owned company REDARC has announced the completion of the first stage of its $50 million defence and space facility. Construction of REDARC’s Defence and Space Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Hub at Lonsdale is expected to create up to 200 highly skilled jobs by 2032. REDARC also unveiled final plans for the next stage of the development. Once complete, the two-storey, hi-tech hub will support the company’s planned expansion by boosting its capacity to design, manufacture and deliver mission-critical systems for the Australian Defence Force as well as ...

South Australian fire safety company Wormald has secured a $5 million contract to continue delivering advanced fire suppression and safety systems to the Collins Class submarine fleet. Awarded by Australia’s submarine builder and sustainer ASC, the six-year contract extends Wormald’s support of the Collins fleet to over 40 years, reinforcing its long-standing role in protecting one of the Royal Australian Navy’s most strategically important assets. ASC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Stuart Whiley welcomed the new contract as a continuation of a trusted partnership that strengthens Australia’s submarine capability. “The Collins Class submarines remain one of Australia’s most potent ...

A successful accommodation project on a remote island in the South Atlantic Ocean has culminated in a global business development opportunity for South Australian-based company, Humanihut. On Thursday 11 September at a company dinner, Humanihut (UK) Ltd and Mitie Defence confirmed an ambition to expand their collaboration in delivering modular infrastructure solutions through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Mitie Defence is a leading provider of facilities management solutions across defence estates in the UK and abroad. Humanihut (UK) manufactures and supplies the Humanihut Field Infrastructure System, an accommodation solution which is rapidly deployable, flexible, and climate controlled. Humanihut was engaged ...

Codan Group has used the UK’s flagship defence industry event in London to premiere its new South Australian-made military grade soldier radio to a global audience. At a special event at DSEI UK on Wednesday 10 September, DTC, a subsidiary of Codan, hosted a product launch of the Sentry 6161, a mesh Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) personal radio which is engineered for front-line forces and has dual-use applications across government, civilian, and commercial sectors. Earlier this year, the company announced that its Sentry 6161, which is designed and manufactured locally in Mawson Lakes, would be integrated into a fleet ...

Local Defence primes and SMEs can look forward to an unprecedented opportunity to explore international markets and liaise with key decision makers when the largest global event dedicated to undersea defence technology comes to town. From 2026, Adelaide will host the globally recognised defence trade exposition, Undersea Defence Technology (UDT), under a three-year deal that will see the event held outside of Europe for the first time in its 37-year history. Held over three days at the Adelaide Showground in December 2026, UDT Australia is expected to attract more than 2,000 delegates, including leading experts, government officials, and military personnel ...

Innovative counter-drone ammunition designed and manufactured in South Australia has been showcased to a global audience in London at the Defence and Security Equipment International. ARES Chief Executive Officer, Jason Murray, said the world-leading ‘Rooster’ technology was developed by the company’s in-house ballistics engineers and represented a breakthrough in counter-unmanned aerial defence. “This is the innovation the world has been waiting for,” Mr Murray said. “Drones have become one of the most dangerous threats facing modern militaries and civilian populations alike. With Rooster, we are offering a solution that is effective and simple.” Unlike traditional counter-drone systems that require bulky ...