The Federal Government has announced a $12 million investment in manufacturer Datapod to ensure Defence has access to modular data centres that it can deploy at short notice.
Datapod is an Australian-owned company that has previously provided data centers that integrate with the Department of Defence’s existing and planned operational platforms and ICT equipment.
The data centers can be scaled to meet a variety of purposes and can work with a variety of potential and emerging technologies and platforms.
Making the announcement at the company’s facility in Canberra, Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price said Datapod was an excellent example of an innovative Australian business providing rapid solutions to Defence’s changing capability needs.
“Investment in Australia’s sovereign industrial capability is essential to ensure Defence can effectively respond at short notice to whatever challenges or threats it faces,” Minister Price said.
“Our Defence Force needs to be agile and responsive at all times.
“This funding recognises the need to have assets on-hand that can be deployed and re-deployed to meet operational needs, without unnecessary delays caused by constructing facilities with a long lead time.
“This investment also secures local jobs and assists with expanding sovereign manufacturing capacity so that it may assist Defence capability needs in the future.”
Senator for the ACT Zed Seselja said Datapod was “a prime example of Canberra’s thriving defence industry community”.
“The Liberal-National Government’s continuing investment in Canberra’s defence industry will not only support local jobs and skills in Canberra, but will also ensure members of the Canberra defence industry community continue to be engaged in developing cutting-edge technologies for Australia’s Defence Force,” Senator Seselja concluded.
