BY INNOVATION HUB

JULY 14, 2017

14 Jul 2017  Media release

The second tranche of Defence Innovation Hub investments worth $12.3 million has been announced today by Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, ensuring Defence has access to ground-breaking technology.

“This investment will see a number of organisations across Australia benefit from this initiative to develop game changing defence equipment.

“It will help support a number of local jobs across Australia and keep local defence industry involved in the latest innovation for Australia’s defence,” Minister Pyne said.

The eight innovation contracts announced today includes $3.17 million to Ron Allum Deepsea Services in NSW which will provide a novel, high-performance autonomous glider for long-endurance vehicle, theatre scale undersea surveillance.

Also announced today is an innovation contract worth $3.2 million to Quintessence Labs in the ACT which will seek to negate threats to Defence’s current secure communications from the imminent arrival of quantum computing capabilities.

Grollo Aerospace in Victoria will also today receive funding of $1.9 million to develop an affordable and re-usable supersonic sea skimming target missile, aimed at providing the Royal Australian Air Force with high speed unmanned targets for air combat training.

Minister Pyne said the Defence Innovation Hub continues to receive an enthusiastic reception from businesses and research organisations from across Australia.

“The Defence Innovation Hub was established in December last year as a robust program to facilitate and nurture the development of innovative technology and ideas in support of Defence capability,” he said.

“The Government has invested $1.6 billion to develop Defence capability through growth in the capacity and capability of Australia’s defence industry and innovation sector.

Minister Pyne said the announcement today reiterates the Turnbull Government’s commitment to using its Defence dollar to ensuring the creation of jobs and economic growth here in Australia while supporting and improving Defence capability through innovation.

Industry and research organisations are encouraged to continue to submit proposals through the Defence Innovation Portal at www.business.gov.au/cdic.