The Army has partnered with the Defence Innovation Hub to award three innovation contracts to Australian industry with a combined value of $2.2 million.
These contracts were selected as part of Army Innovation Day 2017, utilising the new Special Notice platform managed by the Defence Innovation Hub. Special Notices allows capability managers to call for industry and research organisations to submit proposals in response to specific capability challenges.
Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne said it is encouraging to see the Defence Innovation Hub, Army, and local industry partners working together to develop innovative solutions to enhance Defence capability.
“These contracts support the development of innovative solutions to challenges of novel weapons and novel effects in a combined arms team in a joint environment”, Minister Pyne said.
Victorian company Defendtex was awarded two of the three Defence Innovation Hub contracts.
The first contract, valued at $1.04 million, is to explore the development of a light weight, modular shotgun system. The second contract, valued at $957,000, will explore the development of a low profile body armour for use in combat operations.
The Defence Innovation Hub also awarded a contract to Thales Australia, valued at $227,000, to develop an innovative optics system for use with the in service F88 rifle. The intent is to provide enhanced targeting capability and shooter accuracy on operations.