The Department is seeking innovative, industry-led proposals aimed at developing and demonstrating technology that could lead to improvements in Defence capabilities. Technology demonstration projects can advance Australia’s Defence capabilities by giving Australian industry opportunities to demonstrate new ideas and approaches related to the use of technology.
The CTD program has delivered significant achievements. As former ADM editor and Defence analyst Gregor Ferguson noted in 2012, with new technology in most CTD projects between Technology Readiness Level (TRL) two and four (Level 9 equates to a MOTS product), upon completion of the program “[it might] have climbed to between TRLs three and, possibly, six”.
Proposals should address an area of Defence capability priority, such as those included in the Integrated Investment Program, and are required to demonstrate the capability potential of a technology within three years. Some areas of capability interest that applicants may wish to consider include:
- autonomous vehicles and support systems;
- human protection and performance;
- countering improvised explosive devices;
- quantum systems and technologies;
- integrated ISR;
- undersea sensors and networking; and
- social media analysis technologies.
For further information about priority areas of Defence, see the Defence Integrated Investment Program or visit our CTD Round of 20 Defence capability priority areas page. Lodgemens for Initial Proposal will close on 25 July.