Page 12 - Australian Defence Magazine March-April 2022

12 NEWS REVIEW INDUSTRY UPDATE
MARCH-APRIL 2022 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
GOVERNMENT AWARDS CONTRACT FOR HERCULES ARMOUR
THE government has awarded a $2.13 million contract to Hawkesbury-based engineering consultancy Aerospace & Mechanical Con- sulting Engineers to continue its develop- ment of a unique lightweight armour for the C-130J Hercules airlifter aircraft.
The contract with Aerospace & Mechan- ical Consulting Engineers, in partnership with fellow NSW company Armour Com- posite Engineering, will use a ‘cutting- edge armour solution’ to provide the in-
service aircraft with stronger protection. The innovation could reduce aircraft fatigue and the risk of injury to ADF per-
sonnel.
“This contract will strengthen ADF ca-
pabilities and provide an opportunity to maximise Australian industry participa- tion,” Minister for Defence Industry Me- lissa Price said.
The Director of Aerospace & Mechani- cal Consulting Engineers, John Eldridge,
LEFT: An RAAF C-130J Hercules and C-17A Globemaster III aircraft at Honiara international airport, Solomon Islands
said the contract was an opportunity for the small business to export the armour solution to Australia’s allies and grow its workforce.
“To support this contract, Aerospace & Mechanical Consulting Engineers has em- ployed an additional four engineering staff and Armour Composite Engineering has increased its manufacturing staff by two, with a further two staff to be employed in the next 12 months,” Eldridge said.
rivalled satcom solution designed in Aus- tralia, by Australians, for Australians.”
“Working together with Optus has been an enduring partnership providing satellite communication services to the ADF since 2003,” Mitsubishi Electric Australia’s Managing Director, Jeremy Needham said.
“We are particularly pleased to have the opportunity to extend this relationship at a time when Australia and Japan’s defence cooperation has never been stronger.”
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC JOINS OPTUS-LED TEAM FOR JP 9102
OPTUS have announced Mitsubishi Elec- tric satellites for Team AUSSAT’s JP 9102 Australia Defence Communication Sys- tem proposal.
If successful, Mitsubishi Electric will manufacture Australia’s next generation of Defence satellites as part of Team AUS- SAT’s proposal, which already encompass- es Defence partners Raytheon Australia and Thales Australia.
Optus and Mitsubishi Electric have a longstanding collaboration, including the Optus C1 satellite, which currently provides critical mission capabilities to the ADF.
“As a leader in the Australian space sec- tor, Optus is thrilled that we can once again work closely with Mitsubishi Elec- tric, further building on our Optus C1 success, and ensuring the highest design, build and launch standards from Team
AUSSAT,” Optus Chief Executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said.
“Our JP 9102 proposal draws on the best in breed partnerships with Raytheon Aus- tralia, Thales Australia and now Mitsubi- shi Electric to deliver the ADF’s future sat- ellite communications requirements while growing critical skills in
the local technology and
space sector. With our
combined track record of
performance successes,
our best in class collabo-
ration will deliver an un-
RIGHT: JP 9102 is also known as the Australian Defence SATCOM System
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