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The defence company has said that AIC and innovation would be at the heart of its bid for the LAND 125 Phase 4 contract.
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Babcock Australia has claimed that its bid to equip Australian soldiers with next-generation technology as part of LAND 125 Phase 4 would be centred on the development of Australian industry capability and local innovation.
The LAND 125 Phase 4 project aims to deliver an Integrated Soldier System (ISS) integrating all elements and subsystems used, worn or carried by soldiers in any operational context or environment for up to 72hrs without resupply.
Babcock Australasia’s executive director, strategy and future business, Graeme Nayler, thanked Australian industry partners who responded to Babcock’s proposal.
“Australian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and training providers are integral to Babcock’s proposed solution, with over 40 per cent of the project’s requirements able to be either designed or manufactured in Australia,” Nayler said.
“Babcock has approached LAND 125 Phase 4 in an innovative way that is beneficial for Defence, looking at ‘best of breed’ products and enabling Australian SMEs to integrate their world-leading product into the ISS for an optimal cost.”
Babcock has introduced a digital development environment as part of its solution, designed to enable the integration of specialist products by different providers.
“A challenge for industry, in developing a solution for the ISS ready to respond to a request for tender (RFT), is obtaining access to a soldier who is accurately configured and kitted out the way they are on operations,” Nayler added.
“By designing and configuring the solution in virtual reality, Babcock’s approach will also ensure development cost savings across the complete ISS design and integration.
“This will enable us to ‘mix and match’ equipment from different suppliers, to visualise and explore the impacts on the overall integrated system.”
He continued: “This technology creates a pathway for AIC to happen, allowing us to configure and integrate the soldiers’ equipment, elements and subsystems in virtual reality.
“Our engineers are able to better understand the equipment interfaces and potential human factors issues before they arise.”
Babcock Australasia’s head of business development, Mick Burgess, said the firm is committed to generating sovereign industry capability for the ADF.
“In partnership with Defence, Babcock brings extensive, proven expertise in technology integration and asset management to the LAND 125 Phase 4 project, delivering an ISS to equip Australian soldiers now and into the future,” Burgess said.
“AIC is embedded in the Babcock operating model. We are committed to building local capacity as well as capability in technology, engineering, design, sustainment, supply chain and training across Australia and New Zealand.
“Babcock has the supplier networks, the experience and the capacity to deliver this long-sought after capability which will maximise soldier performance both individually and in small teams.”
[Related: Babcock joins Soldier On Pledge program]
