The federal government has today released a plan that defines the strategic rationale for a sovereign defence industrial base and aims to maximise support for Australian industry, including SMEs and its critical contribution to national security. The Defence Industry Development Strategy (DIDS) outlines: Focus areas for the defence industrial base Procurement reforms including simplifying contracting…
EOS enters optical surveillance alliance Electro Optic Systems subsidiary EOS Space Systems has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with EX-Fusion, a Japanese laser fusion startup. The signing took place during the fifth Japan-Australia Ministerial Economic Dialogue co-chaired by Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Don Farrell, and Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and…
The recently established Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator in the Department of Defence is on the hunt for its most senior staff – its head and an assistant secretary. They will lead the organisation which took over disparate defence innovation efforts including the Defence Innovation Hub and Next Generation Technologies Fund. While these were considered successful,…
Ballistic armour and drone technology manufacturer XTEK continues to ride rising global insecurity, reporting another big jump in revenue in FY23. XTEK reported profit after tax of $6.1 million, up seven percent, on revenue up 54 percent to $89.4 million for the year. EBITDA profit was $10.9 million with the company ending the year with…
Applications are now being sought to receive funding from South Australia’s Defence Innovation Partnership’s Collaborative Research Fund. Successful applicants will receive grants of up to $150,000 to support collaboration across government, universities and industry for early-stage defence-relevant research, development and innovation. The CRF was established in 2018 to support research partnerships between industry, academia and…
Quantum infrastructure company Q-CTRL has announced a partnership with the Department of Defence to develop quantum sensors that will deliver quantum assured navigation capability for military platforms. The programme will provide quantum enhanced positioning and navigation capability built on Q-CTRL’s software-ruggedised quantum sensing technology. Quantum-enhanced navigation will deliver the ability for vehicles to position accurately…
The federal government is to back efforts by not for profit group North Queensland Simulation Park (NQ Spark) which is establishing an innnovation and industry precinct in critical technologies. The government signed a $32.2 million that paves the way for work to begin on northern Australia’s first collaborative defence industry hub in Townsville. Also supported…
When @AuManufacturing and the Australian Manufacturing Forum embarked on a quest to identify and celebrate Australia’s 50 most innovative manufacturers, we weren’t sure what we would find. Well, we have been overwhelmed with nominations from many companies we report on regularly, and from many we had only ever heard about but had never heard from…
@AuManufacturing and the Australian Manufacturing Forum’s quest to identify Australia’s 50 most innovative manufacturers is over. Editor Brent Balinski hosted a breakfast event in the Melbourne industrial heartland of Clayton this morning which saw the whole list revealed. As we planned, 50 Australian manufacturers were inducted into @AuManufacturing’s inaugural Top 50, with another 24 forcing…
The federal government’s shake up of defence innovation continues as the new Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) has commenced operations. The accelerator is to focus innovation efforts on capabilities that the Australian Defence Force could use or see themselves using in a few years’ time. Previous schemes such as Defence Innovation Hub grants were seen…
