Specifically, the agreement aims to establish an Australian operations network for ECA Group’s mine countermeasures, military survey (MCM/MS), and autonomous system technologies. 

This is tipped to build the company’s size and scale as part of ECA Group’s push to capitalise on local contract opportunities.

ECA Group CEO Dominique Giannoni said ECA Group’s new Australian subsidiary — ECA Robotics Australia (ERA) — would facilitate the training of Australian personnel operating and sustaining its technologies.

This would be supported by the company’s partnerships with universities and other research organisations.

“We are very proud of the impressive team we have put together to spearhead our Australian operations,” Giannoni said. 

“Working with UGL will fast track our plans and ensure we have the local knowledge and spread of people, skill and resources to establish a sovereign capability and tailor our technologies to meet and sustain Australian Defence requirements for the long term.” 

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As part of its contribution, UGL is expected to leverage its 7,000 employees and supply chain of more than 4,300 Australian companies.

“Together, we provide the people, processes, systems and technologies needed to safely deliver effective support and meet stringent ASDEFCON contracting requirements,” UGL managing director Doug Moss said.

This latest partnership with UGL builds on a number of ECA Group’s existing relationships with local SMEs, including Acacia Systems, Solutions from Silicon (SfS), and Total Marine Technologies (TMT).

ECA Group is bidding for the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) SEA 1905 Tranche 1 – Maritime Mine Countermeasures Survey program, which is seeking an autonomous solution to be deployed from the Arafura Class offshore patrol vessels (OPVs).

The ECA-led team is competing against Saab Australia, which recently launched its bid alongside Leidos Australia, SeeByte and Sonartech Atlas. 

[Related: ECA Group puts MCM offering to the test ]