Latest News from ADA-Vic

Hi Juanita,

The Government has signed a $160 million contract with Thales Australia to deliver an additional 78 Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles for the Australian Defence Force.

Bushmasters will continue to be manufactured in Bendigo, Victoria, with the first delivery expected in 2024.

Bushmasters are integral to Australia's military capabilities—supporting security and stabilisation activities, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, both at home and abroad.

The Bushmaster is world-renowned for innovative design features which protect its crew and passengers from landmines and other explosive devices, and small arms fire.

New Industry Growth Program

As part of the 2023-24 May Budget, the Government announced a new $392.4 million Industry Growth Program for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and startups.

This new initiative will launch in late 2023. It will provide advice and matched grant funding for SMEs and startups to commercialise their ideas and grow their businesses.

Projects in the priority areas of the National Reconstruction Fund will be eligible for the Industry Growth Program:

renewables and low emissions technologies
medical science
transport
value-add in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors
value-add in resources
defence capability
enabling capabilities

As part of this announcement, the Entrepreneurs’ Programme has now closed.

New Investment in Skills for AUKUS Workforce

The Budget invests nearly $150 million to start delivering the skills and workforce we need to deliver Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine program through AUKUS.

The AUKUS plan for Australia to acquire and manufacture nuclear-powered submarines will create around 20,000 direct jobs over the next 30 years across industry, the Australian Defence Force and the Australian Public Service.

The biggest challenge Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine program faces right now is to develop the skills and workforce needed to build this sovereign capability here in Australia.

The Government is committed to providing the skills and training for a home-grown workforce to build and maintain Australian nuclear-powered submarines.

Starting this year, the Government’s package for AUKUS skills and training will see:

$128.5 million over four years to fund an additional 4,000 university places

$3.9 million over two years to establish the skills taskforce

$11.4 million over three years to extend the Defence Industry Pathways Program

Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator

The Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator is a new entity in Defence that drives innovation to create capability for the Australian Defence Force.

From 1 July 2023 the operating model will be developed, tested, refined and progressively implemented over 18 months.

The Defence Innovation Hub and the Next Generation Technologies Fund will be phased out. There are a number of impacts associated with this change.

Active contracts and contracts currently in negotiation, will continue to be managed in accordance with the agreed contract Terms.
The Defence Innovation Hub portal will close to new proposals at 5pm AEST 2 June 2023.
Proposals submitted via the Defence Innovation Hub portal before 5pm AEST 2 June 2023 will continue to be evaluated and considered for Defence investment.
Proposals in draft state in the Defence Innovation Hub portal will not be evaluated.
The Next Generation Technologies Fund will not release new Call for Submissions.
Next Generation Technologies Fund Call for Submissions that have closed will continue to be evaluated and considered for Defence investment.

Future programs and avenues for industry to connect with Defence are in development.

To maximise or find alternative opportunities within the Defence market now, contact the Office of Defence Industry Support.

Indo Pacific 2023 Keynote Speakers Announced

The International Maritime Conference Planning Committee has announced its program of keynote speakers for IMC 2023.

Chief Executive of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), Gwynne Lewis, will give the conference's opening remarks which will be held in conjunction with Indo Pacific 2023, 7-9 November.

IMC 2023 Keynote Speakers include:

Dr Todd Mansell, First Assistant Secretary, Technology, Nuclear Powered Submarine Taskforce.
Associate Professor Warren Smith, PhD, FRINA, MSNAME, Naval Architecture Coordinator, UNSW Canberra at the Australian Defence Force Academy.
Tim Speer, Design Development Manager, Austal.

IMC 2023 is a three-day conference presenting the latest developments in naval architecture, marine engineering and maritime technology across defence and commercial shipping.

The greater IMC program of speakers will be announced shortly with conference registration opening to delegates next month.

Held online, Defence Day by ICN provides you with a unique opportunity for you to hear from influential people from both Government and Defence Primes.

Hear from:

Jane Wood, the Assistant Secretary Australian Industry Capability Delivery from the Department of Defence, Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG), who will be opening the event.
Judy Dennison, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Defence Industry Support
BAE
SAAB
BidWrite

From Defence:      

The Australian Government released the public version of the Defence Strategic Review (the Review) and the National Defence Statement 2023. The Commonwealth has agreed or agreed in principle, to the six priority areas for immediate action:

Acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines through AUKUS to improve our deterrence capabilities;
Developing the Australian Defence Force’s ability to precisely strike targets at longer-range and manufacture munitions in Australia;
Improving the ADF’s ability to operate from Australia’s northern bases;
Initiatives to improve the growth and retention of a highly skilled Defence workforce;
Lifting Australia’s capacity to rapidly translate disruptive new technologies into ADF capability, in close partnership with Australian industry; and
Deepening diplomatic and defence partnerships with key partners in the Indo-Pacific. Read the public version of the Review here.

Defence Minister Richard Marles announced plans to accelerate acquisition of additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems beyond the 20 now on order, plus 500-kilometre range Precision Strike Missiles including:

$4.1 billion to acquire more long-range missile strike systems of which;
$2.5 billion is allocated for the establishment of a local large-scale guided weapons manufacturing industry base. See more here.

Defence has appointed a senior officer, Air Vice-Marshal Leon Phillips to head the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise to accelerate the establishment of a local long-range guided weapons and munitions manufacturing industry in Australia. See more here.
The Australian Government announced a $3.4 billion investment over the next decade to establish the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator, an additional $591 million above current planned spending on defence innovation. See more here.
The Australian Government will grant two consortiums $4 million each to develop prototypes for lunar rovers as part of its landmark Moon to Mars Trailblazer initiative. The Moon to Mars initiative is a $150 million investment over five years to drive the growth of Australia’s space sector. See more here.
The Australian Government to fund a new States and Territories 5-year skills agreement. The funding will support another 300,000 TAFE and VET Fee-Free places including manufacturing, sovereign capability including defence industries cybersecurity and technology. See more here.

The Australian Government released Australia’s National Quantum Strategy, on the back of the National Reconstruction Fund‘s targeted investment of $1 billion for critical technologies like quantum. See more here.
Team Defence Australia has opened Expressions of Interest to participate in the Australian industry delegation for Poland International Defence Industry Exhibition and Defence and Security Equipment International UK. EOIs close 11:59pm 24 May 2023. See more here.
Attached is the TDA 2023 Calendar.

Other News

The first round of grant recipients were announced under the Victorian Land Systems Fund – Supply Chain Uplift Program during a visit to the site for Hanwha Defense Australia’s $170 million Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence. See more here.
Minister for Employment Ben Carroll announced a $2 million partnership between Jobs Victoria and Chisholm Institute to fill 100 engineering roles in manufacturing by April next year. The Jobs Victoria Engineering Project is open to people facing barriers to employment. See more here.
Monash University and the Australian Space Agency have partnered with NASA to give Indigenous STEM students the opportunity to intern at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. See more here.
The Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute have partnered with Swinburne University of Technology’s AIR Hub to increase the number of aerospace PhD internship projects and accelerate innovation in Australian aerospace industry. See more here.

Applications for the NAVIGATE Program are now open. The program aims to bolster Defence’s mid-career workforce capability, broaden the diversity of our workforce, and support participants as a STEM leader in defence. See more here.
The UK Space Agency has released a call for proposals under the £20 million International Bilateral fund to support international partnerships. Funding is available to industry, academia and research organisations and will support international partnerships to harness the UK’s national strengths, support new space capabilities and catalyse investment. Proposals close 9 June 2023 UK time See more here.
BAE Systems Australia is expanding its science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) outreach program with immersive technology company, Lumination, to young people in Victoria. See more here.
Leonardo Australia has achieved the AS9110 certification; a globally recognised quality management standard for the aerospace sector. See more here.
EOS Defence Systems business has secured a second conditional contract to supply up to 50 Remote Weapon Systems to Ukraine. EOS will draw upon its supply chain network consisting of over one hundred suppliers located across Australia and internationally. See more here.

Attached is the ADM’s list of Defence tenders.

Defence Industry Support Tools    

The Office of Defence Industry Support has several tools to support defence SMEs. The Defence Business Readiness Tool, the Digital Readiness Assessment Tool, and the Cyber Security Assessment Tool.

Upcoming Domestic Events:    

1 June 2023 - Cyber Security Summit and Awards. See more here.
5 - 6th June 2023 - Land Environment Working Group. See more here.
21 June 2023 - ADM Congress. See more here.

29 August 2023 - Army Innovation Day 2023. See more here.

Links to Grant and other Programs:       

Victorian Government      
Applications Open Victorian Land Systems Fund – Supply Chain Uplift Program (SCUP)

Office of Defence Industry Support       
Defence Science Institute Assistance and Support  
Defence Global Competitiveness Grants Program     
Defence Innovation Hub       
Defence Cooperative Research Centres Program

Next Generation Technology Fund     
Small Business Innovation Research for Defence   
Export Finance Australia   
Entrepreneurs’ Program – Accelerating Commercialisation   
Skilling Australia's Defence Industry Grants Program

In partnership with the Victorian State Government, Lockheed Martin Australia manages a secure facility designed to enable Victoria’s innovation community to better engage with classified Defence and National Security programs. The first facility of its type in Australia, the Victorian Common User Facility is a key initiative in creating new business opportunities for Victoria’s innovation sector.

For more information or to make CUF bookings, please email amod.joshi@lmco.com

Australia Partner Network

Leidos Australia is focused on working with Australian Industry for delivery of all of our projects. We know the importance of supporting the growth of sovereign capability and would like to work with more Australian businesses at all stages of our delivery lifecycle.

We encourage Australian companies, who are interested in working with us on the opportunities identified above or on other business requirements as they arise, to complete the following registration form.

In your submission, you should highlight your experience with any relevant Defence, Intelligence, ICT and cyber capabilities and technologies. Our team will then be in touch to identify potential next steps.

Australian Defence Export Office Pitch Training Program

The ADEO, in partnership with Marketing Entourage, have created a five week online pitch training program specifically for businesses looking to export defence and dual use goods and services. This training is fully subsidised for Australian Defence Industry businesses.

The program is specifically designed to improve the chances of success for Australian defence industry companies when engaging with opportunities to pitch their capabilities to foreign military and military suppliers. The training is delivered through a series of webinars, online modules and one-to-one pitch practice sessions.

Australian Defence Industry businesses are encouraged to apply by registering their interest at the link below. Multiple people from the same business can be included as a single application. Limited spaces are available on each cohort and the ADEO will prioritise businesses who have recently participated in an industry delegation with TDA.

Click here to learn more about the Online Pitch Training Program and to register your interest.