How drone submarines are turning the seabed into a future battlefield

By Adam Bartley, RMIT University and Matthew Warren, RMIT University A 12-tonne fishing boat weighs anchor three kilometres off the port of Adelaide. A small crew huddles over a miniature submarine, activates the controls, primes the explosives, and releases it into the water. The underwater drone uses sensors and sonar to navigate towards its pre-programmed…

NIOA produces first Boxer armoured vehicle ammunition

Queensland munitions manufacturer NIOA has begun production of 30mm ammunition for the Army’s next-generation armoured Boxer combat reconnaissance (CRV) vehicle, marking a new high for munitions manufacturing in Australia. The company will produce 40,000 rounds of medium calibre training ammunition at the Commonwealth Government-owned NIOA-operated plant in Benalla, Victoria for the eight-wheeled Boxer, which is…

Borumba pumped hydro moves to next development stage

Queensland clean energy project, the $14.2b Borumba Pumped Hydro Energy Storage, has hit a milestone with the project declared a coordinated project by the Coordinator-General. Declaration means a rigorous assessment of social, economic and environmental matters can begin on the project being developed by Queensland Hydro. Borumba involves building a new upper reservoir, as well…

Visual simulation R&D sites at Tonsley Innovation district

Visual simulation companies One World LED and Sportal will consolidate their national and international research and development capabilities into new premises at Tonsley Innovation District in Adelaide joining other companies such as Micro-X, Zeiss, Siemens and Sage Automation in the former car making site. The companies research, design and engineer custom LED technology in Adelaide,…

Vanessa Katsanevakis’ digitisation journey – sign up for our new webinar

There are many ways to skin the digitisation cat. While some manufacturing CEOs see digitisation through the prism of hard manufacturing technologies, others such as Vanessa Katsanevakis, Director of Sussex Taps are focussed on softer, but equally essential issues. Since Katsanevakis took over the business from father Nicholaas Johannes van Putten in 2011, she has…