A record 67 exhibitors have joined the South Australian contingent at this year’s biennial land defence expo, Land Forces International Defence Exposition. The event, is being held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 11 to 13 September 2024. Defence SA Chief Executive Matt Opie said the South Australian contingent is larger than the previous event high of 58 at the 2022 event. “There has been a sharp uptick in South Australian exhibitors over the past 14 years, with just 12 exhibitors attending the 2010 event,” said Mr Opie. “This increase demonstrates the growth, demand, and increased investment by ...

Local South Australian company Aurizn has today announced the release of Infinite Studio 4.0, a widely anticipated update to an already trusted tool within the military and defence industries in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Infinite Studio is the industry-leading synthetic scene generator, a type of software that creates realistic, computer-generated images and environments, enabling test and evaluation of Defence equipment in a controlled, virtual environment. Powered by Unreal Engine 5 and backed by over two decades of research from the Australian Defence Science and Technology Group, this latest version offers unparalleled spatial fidelity and multispectral credibility. ...

In a move set to boost the nation’s critical Defence capabilities across air defence and remote weapons, global defence giant Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has officially unveiled a new multi-million-dollar production facility in South Australia. The Norwegian company’s $25 million facility, based at Mawson Lakes’ Technology Park, will support national Defence acquisition and sustainment programs in missiles, air defence and remote weapon stations. President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Eirik Lie, said the facility – the company’s first one in the Asia-Pacific region – will aid in strengthening Australian’s sovereign defence capability and growing the local workforce. “We are fully ...

Defence SA's concept for the Deep Maintenance and Modification Facility (DMMF) in northern Adelaide has come to life through a partnership with Renewal SA and Defence Australia. As a result, works have now begun on the construction of a four bay aircraft hangar to support the onshore maintenance and modification of the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft and E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft. The milestone for the DMMF project was marked at an official sod turning and smoking ceremony on 5 September. This is one of the most significant investments in critical defence ...

Defence SA has welcomed Anthony Heath as Director Defence Industry – UK, effective 9 September 2024. The newly established role will bolster ties between South Australia and the United Kingdom, harnessing strategic opportunities for partnerships in both countries’ defence sectors. Anthony will be responsible for supporting and maintaining close relationships with industry, industry associations and government representatives to support key defence projects. Throughout his established career, Anthony has held various senior international roles across the private sector, Defence and Government with a strong focus on consulting, crisis management, negotiation and operational planning. Defence SA Chief Executive Matt Opie said that ...

South Australia will lead the charge as the first state to formally introduce a Degree Apprenticeship program for mechanical engineering, paving the way to a promising career in the defence industry. The South Australian Skills Commission has formally declared the innovative educational pathway which provides students with the opportunity to ‘earn while they learn’ and follows the launch of a pilot Degree Apprenticeship program in software engineering. Flinders University has partnered with Adelaide-based Defence industry primes ASC Pty Ltd and BAE Systems Australia to launch the landmark Higher Education Trade Degree Apprenticeship in Engineering, welcoming apprentices from early 2025. Flinders University Vice-Chancellor Professor ...

Experienced Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) veteran and highly qualified systems engineer Glen Gallagher has been announced as Director Advanced Systems at Defence SA. Starting with the agency on 9 September, Glen will bring to the role a wealth of experience across intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, cyber and tactical systems operations. Glen will be responsible for developing strategies to grow opportunities for South Australian industry to support projects related to AUKUS Pillar II and battlespace awareness. This will include a focus on workforce requirements and growth across these areas. Chief Executive of Defence SA, Matt Opie welcomed Glen to ...

A global partnership between South Australian-based SOIO – School of Information Operations Australia and Swedish consulting group Westberi AB will introduce advanced military training programs to Europe. The companies will harness their unique strengths to deliver high-quality training and coaching programs, tailored to the needs of military personnel and institutions across Europe. As a leader in defence training programs, SOIO will train instructors to deliver programs designed to enhance the knowledge and operational capabilities of military personnel and defence industry professionals in Europe. Courses will include Introduction to Electronic Warfare, Cyber Governance and Military Uncrewed Aerial Systems. CEO of SOIO ...

World leading manufacturer of submarine battery systems PMB Defence Engineering (PMB) has entered into a new agreement with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to test and qualify their cutting-edge battery system for the UK’s nuclear submarines. Valued at over £13 million (approximately $25 million), the contract builds on the initial agreement established in May 2019 and highlights the success of the partnership to date. Over the next 20 months, South Australian-based PMB will work closely with the MoD to finalise the development and testing of the system, tailored to the specific needs of their nuclear submarine operations. The collaboration ...

South Australian company APC Technology has been selected by Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) as the sole domestic supplier of Australian Standard General Vehicle Architecture (ASGVA) displays for the Commonwealth’s LAND 400 Phase 3 program. In 2023, HDA secured the $4 billion Defence contract to deliver and support 129 locally built Redback infantry fighting vehicles for the Australian Army, with vehicle deliveries scheduled to commence in 2027. The selection of APC Technology as a supplier to the project marks a major milestone for the leading manufacturer of advanced display solutions and a giant leap in Australia’s ongoing sovereign capability efforts. The ...

Defence SA has announced the appointment of Ian Spencer as Executive Director Defence and Industry, effective 21 August 2024. Ian’s distinguished career spans nearly four decades in Defence, electronic warfare and space, having held senior leadership roles across the public, private and not-for profit sectors. In his new role, Ian will be responsible for the leadership and implementation of initiatives across all domains directly aligned to the state’s defence and space sector strategies. Announcing the appointment, Defence SA Chief Executive Matt Opie said he was pleased to welcome Ian on board. “Ian joins us with extensive knowledge of the industry ...

Sixteen Adelaide-based trainee aerospace workers have joined Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) to support the P-8A Poseidon Through Life Support program. The trainees are currently undertaking in a six-month Certificate II in Aeroskills with South Australian-based based Flight One School of Engineering. After completing the Certificate, they will transition into on-the-job training before supporting the P-8A Increment 3 Block 2 software, systems and sensor upgrades on 12 RAAF fleet P-8A aircraft. The cohort marks the largest single intake by the company and the start of a two-year recruitment drive that will support the $139.5 million contract awarded to BDA to upgrade ...