Page 25 - Australian Defence Magazine April-May 2021

APRIL-MAY 2021 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
DEFENCE BUSINESS CONGRESS 25
– ADM CONGRESS 2021
novation strategy, named ‘Concepts to Ca- pability’, which is expected to be launched in the near future.
“It’s about making sure that we can be thought leaders, to help shape the national science and technology enterprise. Austra- lia’s researchers do some of the best discov- ery research in the world,” Professor Monro said. “I have a passion to make sure that more of that is done in the knowledge of how it can be applied, is done in partner- ship with end-users such as the ADF, and I believe this will change what we can do within Australia.”
“CDRE TURNER SAID DEFENCE EXPLORATION FORCE FOCUS IS ON 2030 AND BEYOND, TO ADAPT CAPABILITY TO THE FUTURE FORCE FOR THE FUTURE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT.”
“What we are finding in our qualification and screening activities with SMEs in Aus- tralia is that they are able to equal and in a number of cases surpass their European counterparts when it comes to precision, quality and repeatability for the delivery of military components.”
Activities at Rheinmetall’s new Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCO) at Redbank southwest of Brisbane had been accelerated to undertake work that was dis- rupted or put at risk as Europe grappled with restrictions caused by COVID.
Gary Stewart, Managing Director of Rheinmetall Aus- tralia, highlighted COVID-19’s role in the supercharging of Australia’s sovereign defence capabilities.
“This is now establishing an environment where local companies can deliver a product or service that is competi- tive on price; are equal or better in quality to the product or service provided by their European counterparts; and can deliver product in volumes necessary for customers operating locally as well as in export markets such as Eu- rope,” he said.
“This included the earlier transitioning of final assembly and quality assurance work, and also assisting the German government to transfer their knowhow to the
Australian customer for formal acceptance testing,” he said.
ABOVE: Close to 500 people gathered in a COVID safe room for the event, which for many was their first face to face event since the last Congress.
LEFT: Delegates heard from a range of Defence and Industry speakers across the day-long event.
ADM