Second Australian radar system to be developed in Defence contract

Following the success of CEA Technologies CEAFAR maritime radars, Defence Industry Minister Pyne has announced a second company will be encouraged into the radar field.

Adelaide’s Daronmont Technologies has received a R&D contract and $7.9 million innovation grant to develop a prototype coastal radar system.

Defence scientists and Daronmont collaborated on the successful development of the Surface-wave Extended Coastal Area Radar (SECAR) that enables Defence and Australian Border Force to better monitor Australia’s northern coastline.

The research agreement was signed by the Chief Defence Scientist Dr Alex Zelinsky and Mr Ben Norris, CEO of Daronmont Technologies. “Daronmont Technologies is a highly innovative company with a strong track record of converting technology into capability for Defence,” Minister Pyne said.

It is just these kind of early collaborations with government procurement which have been so missing from Canberra in recent years, though now becoming frequently-seen in Defence. Such inexpensive contracts help develop systems suited to requirements, and enable the private sector to move to higher levels of technology and manufacturing capability.

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