The first prototype Ghost Shark autonomous undersea vessel (pictured) being developed for the Royal Australian Navy has been completed. The name references Boeing’s successful development of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Ghost Bat for the RAAF. Developed in Sydney by US start up Anduril, the company has previously shown a 2.8 tonne ‘Dive-LD’ autonomous submarine,…
Australia and US collaborate on ballistic missile interception Australia has supported the United States as it undertook a successful missile defence test off the coast of Hawaii. Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force assets supported the test conducted by the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the US Navy. The US test involved…
What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to this site were reading. 5) Gilmour Space raises $55m, Eris rocket heads for space The historic launch of an Australian developed and manufactured rocket is closer with Gold Coast-based Gilmour Space Technologies closing a $55 million Series D capital raise ahead of…
Perth shipbuilder Austal has been awarded a contract extension for the construction of two additional Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats for the Royal Australian Navy. The $157 million contract follows the procurement announcement made by the Commonwealth of Australia (CoA) on 23 November 2023 and brings the total number of Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats being delivered…
By Peter Layton, Griffith University Australia’s naval surface combatant fleet is in trouble. The eight Anzac frigates are worn out after three decades of Middle Eastern adventures and hard to crew. The Anzac’s replacements, the much-criticised Hunter Class frigates, are late – the first will not enter service until 2032 or so. The project’s cost…
Defence companies have quickly moved to welcome federal government plans for an enlarged Royal Australian Navy surface fleet at a cost of $11.1 billion over 10 years. Raytheon Australia Managing Director Michael Ward said the planned fleet wiould provide Australia with a much more potent naval capability encompassing significantly enhanced vertically launched strike and air…
By Peter Roberts It is amazing what a little cold hard cash – an extra $11 billion bringing the total to $38 billion over 10 years to be exact – can do. The federal government has tried to work wonders by piling the cash into the defence budget to achieve three of what seemed like…
The Nupress Group is the latest SME to be awarded a contract to supply components for the new KONGSBERG Naval Strike Missile. Nupress is to partner with Kongsberg Defence Australia to deliver ‘First Class’ manufacturing with the supply of mechanical components for the NSM capability being delivered under Project SEA 1300 Phase 1 – Navy…
Wire arc metal additive manufacturing machinery manufacturer AML3D has reported the company’s second successive quarter of record quarterly cash receipts, reflecting the continuing strong momentum in the company’s US ‘Scale up’ strategy in the US defence sector. The strategy delivered over A$12 million of orders in CY2023 in support of the US Department of Defence,…
Lockheed Martin Australia’s supply of key defence equipment comes with extensive economic benefits, according to the Lockheed Martin Australia 2022 Economic Impact Report, produced by Deloitte Access Economics. LMA supplies the F-35 Joint Strike fighter, Sikorsky helicopters and Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft among others supports 3,422 jobs nationally, according to DE. Highlights from…