Adelaide University gets $38m to train nuclear power specialists

The University of Adelaide has received a federal government commitment to fund the training of hundreds more domestic undergraduate students to join the nuclear-related defence workforce of the future. Under the Federal Government’s Nuclear-Powered Submarines (NPS) programme the university has been allocated of $38,634,835 between 2024 and 2030 to deliver an additional 700 Commonwealth Supported…

NIOA moves further into the US market with Picatinny Arsenal tenancy

Australian owned munitions manufacturer NIOA Group has taken up a tenancy at the United States Army’s Joint Centre of Excellence for ammunition and weapons, Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. The further expansion into the US follows NIOA’s 100 per cent acquisition earlier this year of Tennessee-based Barrett Firearms, and shows a determination to significantly enter…

New legislation clears the way for AUKUS n-submarines

The federal government has introduced the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Bill 2023, which will establish a new, independent regulator to ensure Australia applies the highest standards of nuclear safety across its nuclear-powered submarine enterprise and can continue to implement AUKUS without delay. This is the second legislative package introduced to support implementation of the…

SA-HII sign subs skills MoU

Shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Australian subsidiary and the South Australian government signed a Memorandum of Understanding at a submarine industry briefing in Adelaide, outlining shared intent “to embark on a cooperative working arrangement”. The MoU was signed through HII’s newly-formed Australian entity, HII Nuclear Australia, and would leverage the American company’s international industry expertise “to…

Defence lobby group calls for design of new AUKUS rifle

Private sector operated Weapons Research Establishment has invited innovators to contribute to the design and manufacture of a new, cutting-edge AUKUS rifle through an open innovation challenge. The AUKUS Rifle Challenge represents a unique opportunity for researchers, engineers, and manufacturers to contribute to the development of cutting-edge firearms that can enhance the effectiveness of armed…

AUKUS Workforce Alliance announced

A consortium of UNSW Sydney, the University of Adelaide and Curtin University, as well as defence contractors Babcock Australasia and  Huntington Ingalls Industries – collectively known as the the AUKUS Workforce Alliance (AWA) – has been announced, coinciding with the first day of the 2023 Indo Pacific International Maritime Expo.  According to a statement from…

Flinders Uni, NUWC Division Newport sign R&D partnership

Flinders University announced what it says is “a history-making partnership” as the first Australian university to link up with a key United States Navy research centre, under a new agreement with Naval Undersea Warfare Centre Division Newport. Flinders announced the Cooperative Research and Development agreement (CRADA) in a statement on Monday, heralding it as progressing…

Australia, UK sign agreement to cooperate on quantum tech

The Australian and United Kingdom governments have signed an MoU, agreeing to cooperate on innovation, research and commercialisation of quantum technology, during the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park this week. A joint statement (accessible here) “reaffirms the strong technology relationship” between the pair, supporting joint activities under the Australia-UK Cyber and Critical Technology Partnership…

New report looks at skills needed for Australian semiconductor moonshot

Following its Australia’s semiconductor manufacturing moonshot report last year, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute has published a follow-up report on developing the talent pipeline needed to underpin a local chip industry. Published on Thursday, Australia’s semiconductor manufacturing moonshot: securing semiconductor talent looks at the importance of developing skills, global human capital challenges, and – as…