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Nine firms across South Australia, Victoria, NSW and the ACT have secured funding to support the development of defence technology.
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Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price has announced the award of $19 million in Defence Innovation Hub (DIH) contracts to nine local firms.
The contracts aim to support the development of advanced technologies designed to protect and sustain Australian Defence Force personnel in warfighting scenarios, while also strengthening sovereign industrial capability.
The largest of the nine DIH contracts has been awarded to South Australia-based RFTEQ Pty Ltd, which has secured $5.3 million to develop a counter improvised threat solution designed to detect, identify, and neutralise complex threat signals to provide an increased force protection capability.
Victoria-based QinetiQ Pty Ltd has received $3.6 million to develop a thermoelectric heat recovery system for Royal Australian Navy vessels, designed to offer improvements in energy, fuel efficiency, range and endurance.
Also based in Victoria, RUAG Australia has secured $2.4 million to continue its development of additive technologies that enable the reliable and repeatable repair of damaged metal components.
The technology has the potential to offer an improvement in operational agility while reducing life cycle operating costs.
Other recipients include:
|
Organisation |
State |
Contract Value (GST incl.) |
Description of innovation |
|
DefendTex Research Labs Pty Ltd |
VIC |
$1.84 million |
To develop an uncrewed ground vehicle that could offer a precision strike capability against enemy armoured vehicles. |
|
Sentient Vision Systems Pty Ltd |
VIC |
$1.74 million |
To develop an electro-optical camera array system that could be used at a high altitude to enhance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. |
|
Boresight Pty Ltd |
ACT |
$1.28 million |
To develop affordable and expendable swarming aerial target drones with improvised or dedicated counter-small uncrewed aerial system capabilities. |
|
Arkwright Technologies Pty Ltd |
SA |
$1.07 million |
To develop a vibration monitoring system for Navy vessels that could reduce the vessels’ life cycle operating and sustainment costs. |
|
Blueprint Pty Ltd |
NSW |
$1.04 million |
To develop an advanced expeditionary system for remote underwater intervention that could reduce risk to personnel through the ability to perform tasks remotely. |
|
Daronmont Technologies Pty Ltd |
SA |
$965,000 |
To develop a passive radar technology that could be integrated for maritime vessels and enhance situational awareness. |
“I am delighted to see this investment in businesses and a research organisation to help Defence harness cutting-edge capabilities that could help protect and sustain ADF personnel in the field,” Minister Price said.
“… Several of the new contracts will focus on the development of uncrewed systems that could improve the safety of our soldiers, sailors and aviators by enabling them to respond to threats remotely.”
This is the latest tranche of contracts awarded via the DIH, coming just days after a combined $23 million in funding was awarded to 10 local firms.
[Related: Local SMEs secure DIH funding]
