Latest Defence News from ADA-Vic

Hi there,

As the Government and Defence work on the defence of our region there are always ongoing developments. The photo above was captured in the midst of "Exercise Sea Wader 2020", last month in Queensland. Part of this exercise was to qualify Singapore Air Force pilots to land on Australia's Naval Vessels, so that our armed forces can collaboratively work with other nations to protect the region we share.

Every week there are new developments in the defence industry which ADA-Vic aims to cover in the information we supply to members via this newsletter. A major part of what we do for the industry is advocacy on behalf of members. Advocacy directly impacts the success of members enabling problems to be overcome quickly as the critical flow of important information to and from the Government, Defence and Industry Primes is facilitated in our meetings with them.

Our purpose is to enable members to do better business in defence, so that Australia's Defence Industry keeps thriving and growing.

If there are any significant issues standing in the way of your company doing business in the defence industry - which are not being addressed by the businesses or departments you are dealing with please get in touch with us so that we can help you unblock these problems.

It is the intention of both Minister's for Defence and Defence Industry that industry feedback enable better two way communication and action for the benefit of the Australian defence industry. We have seen numerous positive actions taken in recent months due to issues being raised in our regular meetings with both Ministers and their offices.

Contact us on info@australiandefencealliance.org.au today, to see how ADA-Vic can enable you to do Better Business in Defence.

Funding and Announcements from Government & Defence

Defence Innovation Hub (DIH) seeking Innovation Proposals from industry to overcome a challenge relating to ‘Artificial Intelligence Applications in Defence’, more here
Defence releases SIC Priority Implementation Plan for Aerospace Deeper Maintenance & Structural Integrity, more here & here
Minister for Defence Industry releases additional funding for the Defence Industry Internship Program
Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (AGO) is running the Analytics Lab Program to address challenges with AGO capability. AGO has partnered with Frontier SI to deliver industry projects. To get involved and submit a proposal see more here
Victorian Govt. 'Small Business Digital Adaptation Program', update your business, more here
ASIO releases a new awareness campaign, 'Think Before You Link' (TBYL), more here
CDIC Grants Re-Open... 3 x Capability Improvement & Competitiveness Grants, more here
Government promotes Moon to Mars with more Grants, more here, here & here
2021 Budget Measures and Support for Defence Industry from Morrison Government, more here
Easing of grant funding rules, making funding opportunities more accessible to all, more here
Intelligence & National Security Threat Research Funding Grants = Open, more here
ASBAS - Funding to Get Professional Advice for updating your business, more here
Skilling Australia's Defence Industry (SADI) Grants "Open for Applications", more here
The New Budget - for defence industry here & also holistically for business and employment here
The Navy RAS + AI Strategy 2040 has been released, more here
Mapping Australia's Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Autonomous Systems Capability, survey here
The Defence Industry Minister has released an Op-Ed on supporting defence industry, more here

Industry Work Package Opportunities

Defence Releases Opportunity for one company or research institute to provide Space Payload Qualification Facilities, with Grant Funding to do so, more here
Defence seeks experienced satellite mission integrator for Defence Science and Technology (DST) project, Industry briefing about EOI here
ASPI unveils Submarine report, a deep dive into the Australian submarine program, more here
Secure 'Common User Facility' has been setup in Victoria, FREE until Feb. 2021, more below
Naval Group - New Work Packages (some packages up to $900M), EOI portal here
Leidos calls for Industry participation in SEA 129 Phase 5 project, portal here
Lockheed Martin calls for EOI for their 'Missile and Fire Control', portal here
Northrop Grumman calls for EOI for their 'Space Systems Project', portal here
Hanwha opens the doors to Australian supply chain, more info here, sign-up portal here
ASC P/L calls for industry to be part of submarine sustainment program, portal here
BAE Systems calls for industry participation for their Global Access Program, portal here

Industry Events

23rd Nov. Our next event = Defence Aerospace Update, more below
23rd-27th Nov Defence Innovation 2020 Seminars with Defence and Government, more here
24th Nov. German-Australian Chamber of Industry & Commerce Maritime conference, more here
25th Nov. WorkSafe Vic, 'Creating a mentally healthy workplace in construction', more here
26th Nov. RMIT, Foreign Interference and the Implications for Universities and Industry, more here
30 Nov-2 Dec, UK-Australia, Cyber Security in Space Workshop, more here
30th Nov-4th Dec. Virtual I/ITSEC 2020, Team Defence Australia EOI open on ICN, more here
1st-3rd Dec. Virtual TechNet Cyber, Team Defence Australia EOI open on ICN, more here
8th Dec. Deakin University hosts '2020 Defence and Security Symposium', more here
21-25th Feb. 2021 IDEX - ABU Dhabi, Team Defence Australia EOI open on ICN, more here
CDIC - "Defence Industry Insights" webinar series has been recorded and is available, more here

Funding to build space payload qualification capability
and capacity in Australia

The Space Payload Qualification Facilities grant provides an Australian company or research institution with $2.5 million for the development of space payload qualification facilities to meet the needs of the Australian space industry.

Close date: 23 Dec 2020 05:00 PM AEDT.

What do you get?
Up to $2.5 million for up to 75% of your space payload qualification project costs.

Who is this for?
A single grant will be given to an Australian company or research institution who can provide high-level space qualification facilities in Australia.

Secure Common User Facility
for Victoria

Located in the Melbourne CBD, the Victorian Common User Facility (VCUF) allows appropriately-cleared personnel to access Defence secure networks, and provides secure offices and work areas for undertaking limited-duration activities such as meetings, bid preparation, and small-scale experiments.

The VCUF is an initiative to facilitate enhanced engagement by Victorian businesses and the innovation community with Defence and National Security programs. This unique facility is the first of its type in Australia.

The facility has reached Initial Operating Capability, and is now available for use by Victorian businesses.

Normally, access to the facilities is on an annual subscription basis, however due to the current COVID-19 restrictions the facility is being made available free of charge until February 2021, as a measure to assist Victorian industry recover during these challenging times.

This is an outstanding offer that stands to significantly add value and capabilities to SME needing access to secure collaboration facilities.

For enquiries regarding use of the facility, please contact us info@australiandefencealliance.org.au

In the first of many local packages to be offered throughout the life of the 50-year program, these specialised pieces of equipment include the steering gear system, weapons handling system and main shaft line, and will support hundreds of Australian jobs.

Naval Group has officially launched its first ‘Local Manufacturing Package’ expression of interest (EOI) to Australian industry – part of a package expected to be worth almost $900 million, with the company also opening its office at Port Adelaide.

The Defence Innovation 2020 conference provides Australia’s defence industry and innovation sector with the opportunity to learn how they can leverage Defence’s innovation programs, as well as explore emerging technology trends and opportunities within Defence’s new capability domains.

Defence Innovation 2020 will comprise six 90-minute webinars over 5 days, with the Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Minister Price MP will provide an opening address on 23 November.

The conference will feature presentations by senior Defence and military representatives from each of the operational domains: Maritime, Land, Air, Information and Cyber and Space, as well as from Defence Science and Technology Group, and state and territory industry advocates. Each webinar will also include a Q&A session where delegates will be able to engage with Defence experts.

For leaders in the construction industry hosted by mental health advocate Graeme Cowan focusing on creating a mentally healthy workplace.

Graeme helps leaders and teams to be more caring, resilient, and growth-oriented. In his earlier career he worked in senior leadership positions with Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and AT Kearney. In 2000 he went through a 5 year episode of depression that his psychiatrist described as the worst he had ever treated. He emerged from this crisis with a different view about how we can increase our resilience, mood, and performance. He is described by the Australian Financial Review as a “workplace resilience expert”. He is the author of 4 books, including the internationally acclaimed BACK FROM THE BRINK, which has a testimonial from the former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, and which has just become a best seller in China. Graeme is an active Board Director of R U OK?

RMIT University's Sir Lawrence Wackett Centre (SLWC) is delighted to invite you to hear Mr. Jerome Mullan (Director of Operations, Protegas Australia and former Major in the Australian Army Intelligence) speak about the issues of foreign interference and the implications for universities and industry.

The webinar will explore the threat facing Australia as changes in technology enable malign actors to target universities and industry, their IP, staff and infrastructure.

Contact: jovanka.zimpel@rmit.edu.au

The UK-Australia Cyber Security in Space Workshop series, presented by the Satellite Applications Catapult and the British High Commission to Australia, will run from Monday 30 November to Wednesday 2 December, with one-hour online sessions each day and a virtual networking event to close.

These workshops are intended to encourage Australian – UK business engagement and awareness in Cybersecurity and to highlight the opportunities that this area presents in the International Space Sector. Through facilitated discussions with experts in the field, companies will gain knowledge of the current Space-Cybersecurity nexus and the associated cross-sector opportunities (collaborative and commercial) in, and between, the UK and Australia.

Participants will hear from Space and Cybersecurity advisors, Industry primes, and end users. With three speakers from both Australia and UK followed by facilitated group discussions in separate breakout rooms, attendees will be able to have meaningful discussions around the speakers’ experiences and perceptions and identify possible opportunities.

Supporting increased bi-lateral business to business engagements and guided by sector leaders, these workshops facilitate international collaborative partnerships and projects between the UK and Australia.