Australian Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne has announced the award of five contracts via the country’s Defence Innovation Hub.

The new deals are worth a combined A$5.9m ($4.61m) and are expected to help meet the capability needs required to ensure Australia’s current and future national security.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Go deeper with GlobalData

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

L3 Oceania has received an A$2.9m ($2.26m) contract to explore the development of an underwater acoustic sensor for use by the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) maritime division.

The UK’s University of Newcastle has also agreed to develop an improved resilience training system for ADF personnel under a A$2.2m ($1.71m) contract, which will involve a set of virtual reality-based training sessions that include controlled exposure to adverse environments.

The remaining three contracts were awarded to Agent Oriented Software, Explosive Protective Equipment and Griffith University respectively.

“I look forward to seeing more of these valuable and exciting ideas as we harness the innovation potential of Australia’s defence industry through the Defence Innovation Hub.”

Agent Oriented Software will develop an autonomous intelligent software agent capability that is resilient to cyber-attacks, while Explosive Protective Equipment is set to integrate a Cobham Amulet Ground Penetrating Radar into an existing unmanned ground vehicle for the detection of improvised explosive devices.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Additionally, Griffith University will develop a portable device that enables real-time detection of airborne biological threats.

Pyne said: “I look forward to seeing more of these valuable and exciting ideas as we harness the innovation potential of Australia’s defence industry through the Defence Innovation Hub.”

The Defence Innovation Hub has invested close to A$20m ($15.6m) in various industry and research organisations across Australia to mature and further develop the country’s defence technologies since launching in December 2016.

The Australian Government has committed to supporting the local defence industry during the developing of these new capabilities.

Army Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Army Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact across the defence sector.

Excellence in Action
SMARTSHOOTER’s SMASH AI-enabled fire control systems are turning standard rifles into precision counter drone and small arms platforms. Discover how SMASH is redefining dismounted force protection, accuracy, and ethical AI use on today’s battlefield and why it has won the Innovation award.

Discover the Impact