$3.6 million backs defence industry capabilities

Ten Australian manufacturers will share more than $3.6 million to develop cutting-edge defence capabilities and boost exports in the latest round of Defence grants.

The payments include more than $800,000 to a New South Wales company producing hard armour for military personnel, $585,000 to a South Australian manufacturer to develop a large-scale environmental test chamber and more than $290,000 to a Victorian business to manufacture air brake fittings for Defence vehicles.

More than 220 Australian businesses have already benefitted from almost $97 million awarded through the Defence Global Competitiveness and Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority programmes which provide 50 per cent matching grants so companies can boost manufacturing, harness their expertise and increase jobs.

The latest recipients are:

• Armor Australia (NSW) receiving $809,580 to construct high-pressure compression moulding stations with precision thermal and hydraulic controls to produce advanced hard armour products for Defence personnel in land, vehicle and aerospace platforms.
• Advanced Navigation (NSW) receiving $150,000 to install a calibration and testing system for validated production of sonar hydrophone sensors deployed in autonomous underwater vehicles.
• Protonautics (Queensland) receiving $150,000 to acquire a computerised numerical control machining capability to produce components for the Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat and the Currawong battlespace communications system.
• Cold Logic (SA) receiving $585,598 to install a large-scale environmental test chamber facility to evaluate components and systems used in maritime, combat vehicle and aerospace platforms.
• MyModular (SA) receiving $420,166 to install specialised injection-moulding equipment to produce low-voltage lighting solutions used in shipbuilding facilities.
• Kennewell (SA) receiving $357,091 to acquire a coordinate measuring machine and video measuring system to form a metrology lab for geometric validation of complex manufactured components used in Defence maritime, land, radar and medical technology applications.
• McMahon Metal Fabrication (SA) receiving $150,000 to acquire a precision sheet and tube cutting metal fibre laser to fabricate metal components with technical capability and scale required by the US Navy.
• Advanced Composite Structures Australia (Victoria) receiving $187,706 to acquire new cutting, winding and geometric verification equipment to manufacture structures from ultra-high-temperature fibre composite materials to enable supply of components for hypersonic applications and space vehicles.
• Parish Engineering Company (Victoria) receiving $291,334 to acquire a computerised numerical control lathe with barfeeder to produce air brake fittings and couplings for Defence vehicles
• IKAD Engineering (WA) receiving $560,410 to acquire a range of computerised numerical control capabilities including wire cutter, lathes, turning and machining centres to produce complex components for naval ships systems.

First Assistant Secretary Australian Industry Capability Ms Francesca Rush said: “The…grant programmes support Australian businesses to continue world-class manufacturing, both for Australia’s defence needs and for export.

“The programmes bolster Australian companies’ ability to continue to push the boundaries in developing cutting-edge capabilities, keeping our nation at the forefront of technological advancements.

“They are essential to enabling our defence industry to grow, creating more jobs and opportunities for hardworking Australians, and contributing significantly to our national economy.”

Picture: Armor Australia