South Australian company REDARC Defence & Space has been awarded a $23 million contract for the supply of lighting and related parts for the Royal Australian Navy’s anti-submarine warfare frigates. The Lonsdale-based company will be responsible for the manufacture and delivery of 12,600 LED lights for the first three Hunter class warships being built at the world-class Osborne Naval Shipyard. The contract is the result of a five-year collaboration between REDARC and UK LED lighting business MARL International. The companies will partner to produce 79 different types of lights for each frigate, including bunk and flood lights, weatherdeck and step ...

University students currently enrolled and undertaking third-year or honours year studies in STEM are now able to apply for an exciting scholarship placement with a local defence company. The South Australian Government’s Defence Industry Scholarship Program provides students with grants of up to $10,000 which can be used to support expenses associated with the placement. The program is designed to support the defence industry to build in-demand skills, knowledge and experience, through work-based learning opportunities for university students and addressing key skills demand areas. Defence SA Chief Executive Richard Price said the program, now in its fourth year, had already ...

Global IT and business consulting services firm CGI has established its new Space, Defence and Intelligence Hub at Lot Fourteen’s Defence and Space Landing Pad. CGI provides end-to-end IT-related services and advises, builds, implements and operates bespoke technically complex, mission-critical information systems. With 88,500 consultants and professionals worldwide, CGI selected South Australia for its Space, Defence and Intelligence Australian base in 2021, to tap into the artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data capabilities the state has to offer. “The opportunity for close collaboration with our partners in South Australia’s innovative space and defence industry such as Sypaq and Saber ...

BAE Systems Australia has secured a $45 million, three-year extension to its Royal Australian Navy contract to provide in-service periscope support for the Collins Class submarines. The contract extension will see BAE Systems continue to deliver maintenance and logistics services, engineering and supply support and program management of 16 periscope systems at BAE Systems’ purpose-built Mawson Lakes facility in South Australia and HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. Each Collins Class submarine has an Attack and Search periscope that are extensively overhauled every seven years to ensure their materiel readiness and structural integrity. BAE Systems Australia Managing Director Defence Delivery, Andrew ...

Adelaide’s Supashock Defence Technologies and Rheinmetall have signed a major contract to supply Missile Launch Pods (MLP) to the Hungarian Armed Forces. The agreement will see 84 missile launchers exported under a two-year contract, creating approximately 25 jobs within Supashock and a further 85 roles within the local supply chain. Developed in conjunction with Rheinmetall Electronics and Rheinmetall Land Systems Germany, the MLP’s design was achieved with Supashock’s expertise in kinematics, mechatronics, electronics, composite design, analysis and rapid prototyping. The use of the composite materials – compared to traditional metal alternatives – offers a light-weight structure that maintains strength and ...

South Australia continues to prove itself as a leading force in defence manufacturing, with the state’s defence industry experiencing a surge in growth.  New data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows South Australia contributed almost $1.2 billion to the economy in 2020-21, growing by 11 per cent from the previous year –  the highest rate of growth of mainland states and largest contribution per capita of all states. According to the Australian Defence Industry Account, which measures the portion of the economy that directly supplies good and services to the Department of Defence, Australia’s defence industry contributed almost ...

In a major boost to Australia’s strategic military communications network, Babcock Australasia (Babcock) have been awarded the contract to deliver the Australian Defence Force’s Enhanced Defence High-Frequency Communications System (EDHFCS) to support regional and global operations. The new contract will see Babcock lead the operation and support of the existing HF capability, while delivering a comprehensive technology upgrade over the 10-year program. The EDHFCS program will commence in October 2023 and provide Australian and allied armed forces with the ability to securely communicate using voice and data from almost any location across the globe. As part of the Australian Government’s ...

 The Federal Government has allocated $10.1 million in funding to support the expansion of the Factory of the Future. A joint collaboration of Flinders University and BAE Systems Australia, the Factory of the Future is a purpose-built facility for industrial scale testing of new technologies and processes ahead of their use in advanced manufacturing. The facility is a first of its kind in the country and is located at the Tonsley Innovation District, which recently became a member of the Global Institute on Innovation Districts – an independent not-for-profit research organisation made up of 22 handpicked innovation districts across the ...

Kongsberg Defence Australia has announced its investment into a new purpose-built facility at Technology Park Adelaide. Kongsberg will construct the 2500sqm facility, which will be home to hardware manufacturing and assembly, along with maintenance and software development to assist in the delivery of defence acquisition programs. Construction of the new facility is expected to commence in January 2023, with plans for the facility to be fully occupied and operational by early 2024. It will support a range of activities including hardware manufacture, assembly, integration, test, verification and maintenance, as well as software development and support. Kongsberg Defence Australia’s John Fry ...

The largest Land Forces International Land Defence Exhibition to date was held in Brisbane from 4-6 October 2022 with a record number of South Australian exhibitors in attendance. Over the course of three-day event, an impressive 20,000 attendees visited the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre to see 810 exhibitor companies from over 25 nations, providing incredible opportunities for business and engagement for the industry. Topping off the record-breaking event, industry representation on the South Australia – The Defence State stand quadrupled in 2022 since 2010. A total of 58 local companies showcased their products, services, and capabilities in areas such ...

South Australian electronic warfare company Asension (formerly DEWC Systems) has partnered with Melbourne-based company AOS, to offer the Australian Defence Force a game-changing electronic warfare (EW) solution. Announced at Land Forces 2022, the new HERCULES EW network is expected to be more versatile than current networks and will provide the Army with a sovereign EW system that will increase the ground forces’ survivability. Managing Director of AOS Andrew Lucas said the system would provide a cost-effective solution that delivers what the Army needs right now. “HERCULES EW is a sophisticated, AI-driven system that will allow the Army to penetrate difficult ...

Lockheed Martin Australia has expanded its South Australian footprint, with the opening of its new purpose-designed Adelaide office. The new 930 square metre office will accommodate more than 90 staff from across its 520-strong South Australian workforce including engineers, scientists, commercial, legal, administration and operational employees. It will also house a dedicated STELaRLab, increasing the company’s R&D presence in the state. First opened in 2016 in Melbourne, STELaRLaB is the first world-class multi-disciplinary research facility to be established by Lockheed Martin outside of the US. The company’s Adelaide-based STELaRLaB scientists and engineers will drive innovation across several fields including artificial ...