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South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has announced a watershed Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between Flinders University and the US Navy’s Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport.
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The pioneering agreement is a significant step in fostering closer US–Australia research cooperation on the largest infrastructure investment in Australia’s history and signifies South Australia’s strategic position at the heart of Australia’s continuous naval shipbuilding program, including both AUKUS pillars.
The CRADA opens opportunities for Flinders University researchers to develop rapid solutions, future partnerships, skills exchange, and opportunities for impactful on-site training to develop expertise in undersea technology, contributing to the advancement of Australian and US joint interests.
South Australian Premier, the Hon Peter Malinauskas MP, welcomed the signing of this milestone research agreement, highlighting the significant role this partnership would play in boosting the state’s economy and position as a defence state.
“This research partnership is exactly what we’re seeking – more highly educated South Australians doing more complicated and interesting work in a way that builds the overall complexity of our economy. That will deliver us a higher standard of living for our state,” he said.
“I congratulate Flinders University on its leadership in seizing on the opportunity presented to our state by the AUKUS partnership,” the Premier added.
These sentiments were echoed by South Australian Deputy Premier, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science and Minister for Defence and Space Industries, the Hon Susan Close MP, who added, “Flinders University is internationally recognised as a leader in advanced manufacturing, and this partnership has the potential to deliver more highly skilled jobs in our state as we prepare to deliver AUKUS submarines.
“This new partnership builds upon relationships that Flinders University has already established to become a home of international nuclear expertise,” the Deputy Premier said.
This collaboration will enable Flinders University’s world-class researchers and NUWC Division Newport’s undersea experts to combine their complementary skills, capabilities, and technologies to address critical Navy challenges and opportunities at an accelerated pace.
Flinders University president and vice-chancellor Professor Colin Stirling added, “Our partnership with NUWC Division Newport signifies a new era in undersea technology research, where the best minds from Australia and the United States will join forces to address critical challenges and opportunities.”
NUWC Division Newport chief technology officer Dr Jason Gomez said, “NUWC Newport is excited to enter into a collaborative research agreement with Flinders University. We look forward to establishing long-lasting research collaborations that will provide both a technology development and expert workforce pipeline, to help provide an enduring foundation for the AUKUS agreement.
“With the growing importance of the undersea domain, we are continuously looking to expand our research base and tap into the knowledge and talent of academia. Flinders University is a great partner and has a wide array of overlapping and complimentary research interests with NUWC,” Dr Gomez added.
NUWC Division Newport is the US Navy’s full-spectrum research, development, test and evaluation, engineering, and fleet support centre for submarine warfare systems and other systems associated with the undersea battlespace.
Commanded by Captain Chad Hennings, NUWC Newport maintains major detachments in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Andros Island in the Bahamas, as well as test facilities at Seneca Lake and Fisher’s Island, New York, Leesburg, Florida, and Dodge Pond, Connecticut.
The landmark Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Naval Undersea Warfare Centre Division Newport marks a significant step forward in advancing collaborative research between the United States and Australia in the field of undersea technology.
