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A Canberra-based company has secured a contract to deliver new air defence capability to the ADF.
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Defence has announced the award of a contract to CEA Technologies for the development of four new Air Defence radars as part of the Commonwealth government’s $2.7 billion Joint Air Battle Management System project.
The systems, set to leverage CEA Technologies’ Active Electronically Scanned Array radar technology, are expected to be capable of detecting aircraft and missile threats at greater ranges and with increased accuracy than currently deployed capabilities.
This is tipped to enable real-time critical information to be received, supporting faster decision and response time.
According to Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy, the radars would enhance situational awareness and interoperability across the joint force and with allies.
Minister Conroy said CEA Technologies’ receipt of the deal reflects a broader government commitment to maximising Australian industrial participation within Defence capability acquisition and sustainment projects.
“The contract will directly contribute to growing the CEA Technologies workforce from 530 staff to over 800 in coming years,” Minister Conroy said.
This latest contract builds on CEA Technologies’ previous work with Defence, with the company’s radar technology currently installed on the Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac Class frigates.
“The expansion of CEA Technologies into ground-based sensor applications using the same proven technologies demonstrates the strength of Australia’s defence industry,” Minister Conroy added.
The award of this contract comes just days after Defence confirmed Raytheon Australia has been selected to upgrade the Australian Army’s existing fleet of Thales-built Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles as part of the $75 million Land Force Level Electronic Warfare Project.
The work, which forms part of Project Land 555 Phase 6, involves integrating the vehicles with electronic warfare (EW) systems, designed to enable monitoring and controlling of the electronic environment while also undermining the electronic systems of adversaries.
Local industry is expected to help supply material, and deliver training and maintenance support, with the project tipped to generate $46 million for Australia’s sovereign defence industrial base.
[Related: Defence approves Bushmaster upgrades ]
