Defence SA awards $900,000 for collaborative research

Six projects have received a total of nearly $900,000 in funding in the seventh round of the Defence Innovation Partnership’s Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) announced today.

Aimed at supporting genuine collaboration across government, the university sector and industry, the CRF is a catalyst for defence-relevant research, development and innovation, according to Defence SA’s Acting Chief Executive Reg Carruthers.

Associate Professor Ling Yin from the University of Adelaide’s School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering said their project with partners Flinders University, DSTG and AML3D aimed to strengthen Defence’s sovereign manufacturing capability and assist in the production of reliable 3D-printed metal structures for extreme environments.

“It is critical for Australia to develop and produce high-tech value-added metal products that deliver value for money and assist in the development of cross-cutting technologies,” said Associate Professor Yin.

“This project will also provide excellent training opportunities for young engineers, scientists and students, who represent the future of Australia’s professional work force in high tech industries.”

Including this latest round, the CRF has now funded 35 projects and approximately $5 million from state government, with additional funding leveraged from Commonwealth, industry and university contributions.

The full list of projects awarded up to $150,000 are:

• Sovereign manufacturing reliable defence structures by 3D metal printing and structural health monitoring – led by the University of Adelaide with partners Flinders University, DSTG and AML3D
• Mathematical modelling of a complex and contested conflict environment: influence of logistics and resource transfer – led by Flinders University with partners University of South Australia and DSTG
• Warm Starts and Goal-based Heuristics to Improve MARL Performance in Advanced Distributed Defence – led by the University of Adelaide with partners University of South Australia, DSTG and DEWC Services
• Evaluation of State Uncertainty for Resident Space Objects – led by Flinders University with partners the University of Adelaide, DSTG and Lockheed Martin Australia
• Cyber Terrain Mapping and Analysis of Operational Technology Networks – led by Insight Via Artificial Intelligence with partners the University of Adelaide, University of South Australia and DSTG
• And first-in-class pharmaceutical radiation protectant – led by the University of Adelaide with partners Flinders University, University of South Australia, DSTG and Plantworx Organics Pty Ltd.

  Picture: AML3D