Page 20 - Australian Defence Magazine September 2018

NEWS REVIEW
INDUSTRY UPDATE
Accenture opens digital tech hub in Canberra
EWEN LEVICK | SYDNEY
ACCENTURE has opened an innovation hub in Canberra to provide Defence and national security organisations in Austra- lia and NZ with access to technology in- novations and digital solutions.
Designed with a human-centric focus, the hub is intended to be a collaborative environment that encourages co-creation and breakthrough thinking between em- ployees, Defence and security agencies, and other digital innovators.
“Defence is proud to have a long-stand- ing partnership with Accenture, having collaborated on the update and support of Defence human resource and air safety systems, as well as the delivery of ICT infrastructure modernisation projects,” Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne said. “Accenture is responsible for delivery of the core technology upgrade that will lay the foundation for future enhance- ments to Defence’s Digital Identity ca- pability. The upgrade will integrate into Defence’s complex and secure information technology environment.”
The hub will focus on technologies in- cluding blockchain, artificial intelligence, internet of things, cyber, robotics and ad- vanced analytics.
FROM LEFT: Belinda Duchnaj, Minister Pyne, Matthew Gollings, John Vidas, Bob Easton and Wilhelmina van Beers of Accenture at the opening.
“Defence organisations need to increase their resilience to emerging threats and require secure, innovative and flexible delivery capabilities, often on tight turn- around,” Matt Gollings, Accenture’s de- fence and national security lead in Austra- lia and NZ, said.
Gollings told ADM that the Hub is in- tended to address this need. It is a secure, trustworthy environment in which clients
can view and interact with rapidly-built, customisable prototypes.
“The Hub allows us to work with our cli- ents face-to-face in a secure location. That physical security is critical,” Gollings said. “It allows for user buy-in. They can come here, touch the prototype, feel it. Depending on the specific need, we can get a prototype ready in days, even overnight. That allows us to work with clients using local capability.”
Milestone reached on Future Submarine yard
Secretary of Defence Greg Moriarty at the Osborne North Submarine Maintenance Yard.
IN a major development for the Future Submarine program, a de- velopment application has been submitted to the Port Adelaide En- field Council for Phase 1 of work on the Osborne North construc- tion yard in SA.
Due to the scale and complexity of the works required, the yard will be developed in a staged approach. Phase 1 works will focus on site es- tablishment, earth works and pil- ing for the new facilities.
Australian Naval Infrastructure (ANI) will oversee the delivery of the construction yard where 12 Fu- ture Submarines will be built.
“This is an important step towards the development of the yard and we are on schedule to turn the first sod later this year,” said Minister for Defence In- dustry Christopher Pyne. “KBR and Aurecon have been working with Naval Group to finalise the concept design of the yard, which will be owned by the Commonwealth as part of our national naval shipbuilding in- frastructure.”
ANI will shortly engage a man- aging contractor to oversee the continued design development and eventual build of the yard.
20 | September 2018 | www.australiandefence.com.au
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