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Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has announced $3.47 million worth of grants to support eight “cutting-edge” Australian defence SMEs delivering priority capabilities for Defence.
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The Defence Global Competitiveness (DGC) and Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority (SICP) grant programs have helped Australian businesses boost manufacturing, harness their expertise, and increase jobs and are expected to be replaced by the Defence Industry Development Grant program expected to be launched in June.
This new program, which is aligned with the Defence Industry Development Strategy, will have dedicated streams for supporting eligible Australian businesses to develop their capabilities in relation to sovereign industrial priorities, exports, skilling, and security.
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said, “Small to medium-sized businesses play an important role in developing and sustaining the capabilities the Australian Defence Force needs to protect us and our national interests.”
In total, 239 grants worth more than $104 million have been awarded to Australian businesses through both programs, with the latest eight recipients:
- South Australian-based QPE Advanced Manufacturing will receive $1 million to acquire and commission a five-axis computerised numerical control (CNC) mill, CNC cylindrical grinder and optical scanning system. These systems will assist the manufacturing and maintenance of components used in submarine and aerospace domains.
- Western Australian company Hexion Australia will receive $1 million to establish a hexamine production facility for use in explosives ordnance and munitions manufacturing.
- Queensland‘s Gilmour Space Technologies will receive $715,000 to design, build, and commission a facility for production of high-test peroxide as a propellant for use in hybrid rocket motors in space vehicles.
- Elexon Electronics based in Queensland will receive $338,000 to acquire and commission a solder paste inspection system and a computed tomography X-ray machine for automated inspection of printed circuit boards for defence radar and communications systems.
- Tasmanian-based Betaserv will receive $146,000 to acquire and commission a suite of scanning capabilities to allow phased array ultrasonic testing of armour-plating in self-propelled howitzer artillery vehicles.
- Sentient Vision Systems based in Victoria, will receive $108,000 to acquire and integrate enhanced data-processing capabilities which support the development of artificial intelligence models for image-based surveillance and reconnaissance solutions.
- NSW-based Reach Robotics will receive $104,000 to acquire and commission a hydrostatic pressure chamber to conduct product validation of underwater robotic arms to a depth of 6,000 metres as well as a coordinate measuring machine, lathe and vacuum pump for validation of precision components.
- NSW‘s Droneshield will receive almost $59,000 to acquire two spectrum analysers for use in developing radio frequency (RF) detection and RF finding sensors used in anti-drone and electronic warfare systems.
“Through Defence grant programs, the Albanese government continues to help innovative local businesses grow and create high-skilled, well-paid jobs,” Minister Conroy said.
The Defence Industry Development Grant program will have dedicated streams for supporting eligible Australian businesses to develop their capabilities in relation to sovereign industrial priorities, exports, skilling, and security as identified by both the Defence Strategic Review and the Defence Industry Development Strategy.
