Best of the week — the five most popular stories among @AuManufacturing’s readers

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to this site were reading.

5) Government buys sea mines, ‘potentially’ locally assembled

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has announced it will purchase new, smart sea mines, which will reinvigorate Defence’s maritime mining capability, and are deployable from submarines, ships and aircraft, according to an announcement.

Following evaluation of market options last year, Defence selected RWM Italia to provide the capability under a multi-million-dollar contract – the government did not reveal the value of the contract or the quantity and types of sea mines to be bought.

RWM Italia S.p.A., part of German defence group Rheinmetall, manufactures countermining systems, medium- to large-calibre ammunition, and warheads in Domusnovas, Sardinia, Italy

4) Innovate to decarbonise agriculture

Green hydrogen company Hiringa Energy and agricultural and pastoral enterprise Sundown Pastoral Co are creating a world’s first Good Earth Cotton farm.

The farm will produce its own renewable ammonia and green hydrogen to decarbonise its operations.

Here David Heard explains the implications for agriculture and wider industry.

3) Samsara’s plastic eating enzymes get a new laboratory

Enviro-tech startup Samsara Eco is to establish a new research laboratory to develop enzymes that can break down plastic waste ready for recycling into new materials.

The company, which has been based since 2021 at the Australian National University (ANU), will develop its ‘infinite recycling’ Research & Development (R&D) facility at Queanbeyan in Regional NSW.

The new R&D facility in the Poplars Innovation Precinct will scale Samsara Eco’s patented enzymatic capabilities as the company aims to be recycling 1.5 million tonnes of plastic per annum by 2030.

2) Australia will make its own missiles in 2025 – Conroy

The federal government will deliver a fully costed and detailed plan next year on how it will build critical guided weapons in Australia, according to Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy.

Speaking at the Hunter Defence Conference Conroy said the government was working with industry, including Defence’s strategic partners, Lockheed Martin Australia and Raytheon Australia, to develop the plans for domestic manufacture of guided weapons and explosive ordnance.

Conroy said: “Government will consider these plans early next year.

“Some have asked whether this is another review – nothing could be further from the truth.”

1) Sypaq’s cardboard drones used in Ukraine

Engineering and systems integration company SYPAQ’s unique cardboard drones are in service in Ukraine, and even took part in a recent bombing raid of Russian airports according to some media reports.

The company’s Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System (PPDS) can launch, fly up to 120km and land by itself, delivering supplies or providing a low-cost surveillance capability.

However the reports are the first time that the cardboard drones can also be loaded with explosives and used for offensive operations.

Picture: credit Sypaq