A number of companies, universities, government agencies and think tanks took the chance at Avalon to announce teaming and partnering arrangements.
Leonardo and Northrop Grumman Australia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to partner on C-27J through life support services in NZ. Under the memorandum, Leonardo, manufacturer of the C-27J Spartan tactical airlifter, and Northrop Grumman Australia will jointly bid the incoming Future Air Mobility Capability (FAMC) Program of the Royal NZ Air Force (RNZAF). The parties will use their existing relationship to offer the C-27J to NZ as a replacement for the aging C-130H fleet.
Cobham Aviation Services Australia and Acacia Systems are exploring opportunities to export globally its advanced mission management systems (MMS) for surveillance aircraft. Cobham most recently collaborated with Acacia Systems on the delivery of four search-and-rescue Challenger-aircraft for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). Acacia supplied state-of-the-art mission management systems software for the aircraft that Cobham modified, integrated and now operates on behalf of AMSA under a 12-year $640 million contract. Cobham will again work with Acacia as it prepares to retender of its current Australian Border Force aerial surveillance contract.
Building on the teaming arrangements announced at the previous Avalon Air Show, Team Reaper Australia has expanded its ranks too:
- Cobham Aviation Services Australia – Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO), logistics
- CAE Australia – RPA training devices, training services, support material and courseware
- Airspeed – Sovereign payload pods and in-country composite repairs
- Flight Data Systems – Aviation services and products, including environmental testing of line-replaceable units, flight data acquisition, monitoring and analysis
- Raytheon Australia – Electro-Optical/Infrared image systems and integration of payloads and weapons
- Collins Aerospace – Fast Attack (FasTAK) Network Joint Fires on Rosetta Data Link Processor Gateway for Digital Joint Fires
- Quickstep Technologies – Composite component manufacturing
- Sentient Vision Systems – Autonomous detection systems, including all environmental ViDAR Wide Area Motion Imagery
- TAE Aerospace – Honeywell TPE331 Engine MRO and other power plant-related component manufacturing
- Ultra Electronics Australia – Electronic Warfare (EW) payloads
PAL Aerospace and Air Affairs Australia have confirmed a strategic partnership between the two companies for the provision of special mission aircraft and support services within Australia and the South Pacific. The announcement follows an MoU signed by the two companies in 2018 to support the pursuit of special mission opportunities in maritime patrol and defence based activities in the region.
Wellington Shire Council has announced partnerships with RAAF Air Academy and Federation Training that will ensure West Sale Airport is a leader in aviation and the facility is ripe for further investment.
The Council’s imminent completion of the $6 million runway extension and lighting upgrade will bring the facility up to the standard required for RAAF Air Academy to use the facilities as part of the new Pilot Training System.
The peak French Government scientific research organisation, CNRS (National Centre for Scientific Research) and Naval Group, have signed a Letter of Intent with Flinders University, the University of Adelaide, and the University of SA to develop a proposal to base what would be one of only five industry-linked CNRS international joint laboratories in the world, in Adelaide.
Lockheed Martin Australia has established a formal relationship with Clearbox Systems to assist the small, but highly innovative high-tech company, to successfully compete for future prime and subcontractor contracts in both local and global supply chains.
The Mentor-Protégé relationship, being overseen by Lockheed Martin Australia’s Office of Australian Industrial Participation, is based on a highly successful US program where Lockheed Martin will act as a Mentor to Clearbox Systems to provide dedicated assistance and market advice to open opportunities for technology transfer, innovation and local skilled jobs.
Nova Systems will be supporting Leidos Australia to deliver the $500 million Joint Project 2096 Phase 1. Nova Systems has been selected as a key sub-contractor to provide a systems training solution and verification and validation services.