The Defence Innovation Hub has contracted three Australian businesses to further develop innovative technologies to maintain a war fighting advantage.
NSW-based Aerospace and Mechanical Consulting Engineers has been awarded a $659,000 contract to develop lightweight armour solution for the Australian Defence Force aircraft using panels designed with new materials and ballistic protection level.
Unmanned Aerial Systems has secured a 293,000 contract to combine features of a helicopter and a fixed wing aircraft in order to increase performance, efficiency and capability.
The third contract, worth $287,000, was awarded to Victoria-based Defence Materials Technology Centre Limited to develop lightweight armour for soldiers with improved protection levels and functional integration.
Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said the contracts totalling over $1.2 million were a testament to the Government’s commitment to support the local Defence industry and harness its potential to develop new capabilities.
“The Defence Innovation Hub is supporting Australian industry throughout all development stages of the innovation process; from concept exploration and technology demonstration, through to prototyping and integrating capability demonstration and evaluation,” Minister Pyne said.
“Investing in Defence innovation will not only build the innovation capabilities of Australian industry and research organisations, it will also deliver innovative capability solutions for use by Defence.”
The Defence Innovation Hub, which has around $640 million at its disposal, accepts proposals on innovations at all stages, from early stage concept exploration and technology demonstration through to advanced prototypes for integration, test and evaluation.
