Latest News from ADA-Vic

Government Boosts ADF's Maritime Patrol and Response Aircraft Fleet

The Government has approved the acquisition of a fourth MQ-4C Triton Remotely Piloted Aircraft System, and upgrades to the Air Force’s fleet of P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

The estimated combined value of these decisions is over $1.5 billion.

The MQ-4C Triton will provide long-range, persistent surveillance across Australia’s maritime region. The first aircraft, including the relevant ground and support systems, is due to be delivered to Australia in 2024.

When in service, the Triton aircraft will be based at RAAF Base Tindal, Northern Territory, and operated by the newly reformed Number 9 Squadron, located at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia.

The Northrop Grumman Corporation manufactured MQ-4C Triton aircraft are being developed and acquired by the Australian Defence Force in cooperation with the US Navy.

Read more >

ADF Awards L3Harris AUD$328 Million Maritime Underwater Tracking Range Contract

The Australian Department of Defence awarded L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) a contract, valued at up to AUD$328 million, to deliver new Maritime Underwater Tracking Ranges (MUTR) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

The SEA1350 Phase 3 MUTR program will provide undersea warfare support including a sub-surface tracking capability to aid current and future Australian Defence Force assets, warfighting tactics and proficiency. This program also enables sovereign readiness by safeguarding Australia’s maritime approaches and sea lines of communication.

Through a series of sensors, the tracking ranges will capture and relay information on the location and movement of assets that are operating within the tracking field. The MUTR will facilitate exercises in deep ocean and littoral waters, involving surface and sub-surface assets simultaneously. The ranges are integral to the Commonwealth being able to swiftly test and evaluate the readiness of platforms and their weapon systems, especially in support of Australia’s strategic shipbuilding program.

L3Harris will build the MUTR in Western Australia and will provide the RAN with sub-surface tracking capability and optimized preparedness. The MUTR will support Australia’s emphasis on anti-submarine warfare capability and enable littoral test and evaluation enhancements through the next decade.

Nominations are now open!

The Endeavour Awards are presented annually by Manufacturers’ Monthly.

Recognised as the premier Awards program within the manufacturing industry, the evening is a chance for all involved in manufacturing across Australia to celebrate the many successes within the industry, to help share these successes with a broader audience, to network, and to learn more about the many remarkable personalities and enterprises that make the industry great.

Nominating is free, and must be completed using this online form by 11:59pm Friday 6 October 2023.

More info >

From Defence:

Defence has selected Lockheed Martin Australia as the strategic partner for Air 6500 Phase 1, providing the ADF with a Joint Air Battle Management System for the future Integrated Air and Missile Defence capability. See more here.
The Australian Government announced new rounds of grants through the Defence Global Competitiveness program and the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority program. 7 Australian businesses were awarded grants totaling $3.8 million including:

Redline Engineering (VIC) is receiving $676,793 for multi-axis machining and dimensional verification capability. This will support production of complex mechanical components such as radar, small arms, and munitions.
George Lovitt Manufacturing (VIC) is receiving $150,000 for coordinate measuring machines for quality control of larger manufactured components. This will support international defence projects such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. See more here.

Other News

The Australian Government is inviting applications from eligible higher education providers for the $128.5 million Nuclear-Powered Submarine Student Pathways initiative to support 4,000 commencing Commonwealth supported places. Applications close on Thursday 28 September 2023. See more here
Australian citizens are eligible for the US Department of Defense Scholarship-for-Service Program SMART Scholarships to gain US educational and Defense experience. Scholarships are available for undergraduate and postgraduate study up to 5 years. See more here.
SYPAQ’s Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System or “cardboard drone” has been gaining international attention through its successful operational use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. See more here.
Marand Precision Engineering has been awarded a further contract from Kongsberg Defence Australia on the Naval Strike Missile (SEA 1300) project. See more here.
The Defence Science Institute has relocated to a new office at Level Three, 15-31 Pelham Street, Carlton. See more here.
BAE Systems Australia is partnering with Stone & Chalk to deliver a series of Pathfinder workshops for start-ups and scale-ups with a minimum viable product of relevance to Defence. Applications close 19 September for the Melbourne workshop on 12 October. See more here.
Boeing Australia has continued to expand its presence in Victoria, with the company creating more than 200 new jobs this year alone, an increase of almost 25 per cent and bringing its workforce in the state to more than 1000. See more here.
Lockheed Martin Australia announced Toni-Anne Munn as Deputy Program Director for JP9102. The company is building on its presence in Melbourne, recently leasing office space in Melbourne’s CBD as part of a move to establish Victoria as the engineering and technical hub for JP9102. See more here.
Minister for Industry and Innovation Ben Carroll announced recipients of the latest round of the Low Carbon Manufacturing Grants Program, to help manufacturers capitalise on renewable energy opportunities. See more here.
Aerospace 2023 Young Investigator Award nominates are now open. The Award recognises excellence in multiple fields including aerospace science, engineering and technology, control and maintenance of aircraft and spacecraft. See more here.
A useful article about spear phishing to help protect SMEs, their supply chain and their digital assets. See more here.
Hays and Michael Fairweather & Associates with BenchOn, are running events at Indo Pacific 2023 to help SMEs better understand and connect with Australian Defence Primes:

Tuesday 7 November, BenchOn will present the Primes’ Briefs where the best Primes will present information what they need from suppliers
Thursday 9 November, BenchOn will facilitate 1:1 meetings for Primes to meet SMEs that match capability requirements. 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:

Reoccurring 2023 - Soldier On Coffee Catch Up Victoria. See more here.
26 – 28 September 2023 - Australian Information Warfare: Beyond the Strategic Review. See more here.
2 – 4 October 2023 - Pacific Cyber Capacity Building and Coordination Conference. See more here.
10 – 11 October 2023 – Australian Cyber Space Forum. See more here.
17 – 19 October 2023 - Australian Cyber Conference 2023. See more here.
8 November 2023 – Maritime Environment Working Group Conference. See more here.
7 - 9 November 2023 - 2023 Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition. See more here.
27 November 2023 - Defence Artificial Intelligence Symposium. See more here.
29 - 30 November 2023 - Engineers Australia’s Climate Smart Engineering Conference. See more here.
4 - 6 December 2023 - Defence Human Sciences Symposium. See more here.

Links to Grants and other Programs:

Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Grants - CRC-P Round 15

CRC-P Round 15 was opened by The Hon Ed Husic MP, Minster for Industry and Science on 3 August 2023 and will close at 17:00 AEST on 14 September 2023.

The Round is open to all industry sectors however will have a focus on supporting projects in line with Government priorities, including the National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) priority areas and the Science and Research priorities. Applications that have a focus on the circular economy are also particularly encouraged.

Funding will be available from January 2024.

Read more >

The Victorian Land Systems Fund – Supply Chain Uplift Program will support Victorian defence industry businesses to work with Hanwha Defense Australia (Hanwha) as part of its supply chain. The program will help build businesses’ capabilities so they can help Hanwha deliver the Commonwealth Government’s $1 billion Land 8116 Self-Propelled Howitzer program.

Funding will support eligible Victorian businesses to:

gain relevant accreditations and meet industry specific compliance requirements
prepare tenders
undertake minor facilities upgrades and equipment fit outs
develop new or enhance current defence products or services
undertake defence R&D
participate in trade missions to pursue collaboration and export opportunities.

Businesses must engage with Hanwha and receive its support before applying.

Applications to the Victorian Land Systems Fund Supply Chain Uplift Program are now open and close on 30 June 2024 or when funds have been exhausted, whichever comes first.

Australian Space Industry Capability Database

The Australian Space Industry Capability database will open for industry submissions from mid-July. Companies can upload information on their:

• Location

• Capability

• Workforce

The database has been developed by SIAA and is supported by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), the Australian Space Agency, the Office of Defence Industry Support and SmartSat CRC.

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.

ODIS provides a range of grants to support defence industry businesses. These grants help Australian small and medium enterprises grow to meet Defence capability needs and join global defence industry supply chains.

Click here to learn more about available grants

The ODIS Defence Business Readiness Tool (DBRT) is a platform used by our Industry Engagement Team to assess the Defence Readiness of Australian Small and Medium Enterprises. The DBRT is the first step in the journey to becoming a supplier to Defence.

To use this secure tool you must have an account. You can either sign in with an existing account or create a new one. You will need to provide your Australian Business Number (ABN) when registering your account.

Get Defence Ready with DBRT 2.0 and unlock the true potential of your SME within the Defence industry!