Australia awards new Defence Innovation Hub contracts

The Australian Government has awarded new Defence Innovation Hub contracts to boost the country’s defence industry.

With the latest contracts, the government aims to ensure Australian defence industries are capable of delivering new innovations in the post coronavirus (Covid-19) era.

Through the government’s A$640m ($408.9m) Defence Innovation Hub, the Australian industry is developing new space technologies and radar systems.

Australia Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said that contracts worth more than A$14.6m ($9.32m) were awarded for the development and delivery of the technologies.

The companies that secured the contracts are Jenkins Engineering Defence Systems (JEDS), DEWC Systems, SYPAQ Systems, SYPAQ Systems, University of Technology Sydney, Glia Diagnostics, Missions Systems and Imagine Intelligent Materials.

Price said: “These contracts will support the development of a range of technologies that span areas such as space, electronic warfare, and power generation to build a more advanced and capable Defence Force.

“More than A$3m ($1.91m) has been awarded to NSW’s Jenkins Engineering Defence Systems to continue the development of its radar electronic support system.

“This technology has the potential to provide the navy with a cost-effective system to automate warnings and determine the type and location of radar signals.”

South Australian company DEWC Systems has secured A$3.1m ($1.98m) contract to develop a sovereign, space tactical sensor system.

To date, the Defence Innovation Hub awarded over $200m in innovation contracts. Majority of the investment supports small Australian businesses.

In September 2018, the Australian Government signed two contracts with UAV Vision and Textron Systems Australia for the development of unmanned aerial system (UAS) capabilities.

The $2.1m valued Defence Innovation Hub contracts were awarded to maintain the enhanced capability of Australian Department of Defence and provide increased surveillance, intelligence and force protection to the Australian Defence Force (ADF).