Almost 60 Defence suppliers on Friday shared in $16.5 million in funding from the Defence Industry Development Grants program, which aims to build up Australia’s sovereign capabilities and technical superiority.
Two businesses secured the largest grants of $1 million each to directly support their manufacturing under the program’s sovereign industrial priorities.
Perth designer and manufacturer Veem secured $1 million to procure a multi-axis CNC machine to manufacture propellers and other complex components for multiple maritime platforms.
Adelaide-based Nu Metric Manufacturing also received $1 million to acquire a hydroform press for manufacturing complex sheet metal components used across naval shipbuilding, guided weapons and aircraft.
The grants are awarded from the four year, $169 million Defence Industry Development Grants program, which provides the support under four streams: Sovereign Industrial Priorities, Exports, Security, and Skilling.
Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said the grants provide “vital support to people who are making a critical contribution to our national security and a future made in Australia.”
“The new Defence Industry Development Grants initiative creates one cohesive program, contributing to a stronger and more resilient sovereign defence industry that is able to meet the challenges of the future.
Another SA company, Mincham Aviation, received $891,621 under the sovereign industrial stream to acquire a CNC machine, CNC profile cutters and associated equipment to support the manufacture of components for Australian Defence Force aircraft.
Three Victoria-based businesses secured grants close to $1 million, including Advanced Composite Structure Australia, which was awarded $949,282 to automate composite manufacturing for components in the Ghost Shark autonomous underwater vehicle.
Hardman Bros (VIC) will also procure a CNC machine with its $944,036 grant to enhance its manufacturing capabilities to meet the demand of Defence land programs.
Infinite Manufacturing (VIC) will receive $925,947 to purchase a gantry type high speed 5-axis machine to enable large scale production of precision engineered components for multiple Defence programs.
Australian Intelligent Machines (VIC) secured a $564,826 grant to purchase additive manufacturing and laser fabrication machinery. This equipment will let it deliver counter-drone capability to Defence by producing counter-UAV systems.
Queensland-based Black Sky Aerospace will receive $910,389 to acquire planetary mixers of different capacities to enhance the manufacturing of solid rocket propellant for guided weapons.
Other significant grants for Queensland companies include Intellidesign, which secured $774,347 to support advanced electronics manufacturing and supply chain for existing and upcoming Defence projects, and Frontline Manufacturing, which will receive $667,396 to support manufacturing of the Redback and Boxer armoured combat vehicles.
More than 200 employees in defence businesses will also receive new technical training through the skilling stream of the program.
Several businesses will uplift their physical, personal and cyber security posture to meet Defence security requirements through the security stream of the program.
The full list of successful projects is available here.
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