Page 32 - Australian Defence Magazine Dec19-Jan20

BAE SYSTEMS
32 DEFENCE BUSINESS PACIFIC
DECEMBER 2019 – JANUARY 2020 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
TASMANIA DISPLAYS MARITIME EXPERTISE
EWEN LEVICK | SYDNEY
IN a recent speech at ADM’s Northern Australia Defence Summit, former Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne said every state claims to have the ‘secret sauce’ for win- ning major contracts: the ‘uniqueness’ factor that makes that state particularly suited to hosting whatever work it is bidding for.
There is only one state, however, that is surrounded on all sides by the ocean – Tasmania. Numerous companies, universities and other state representatives made the trip across the Bass Strait to exhibit their maritime expertise at Pacific 2019.
One of the star performers was Fortifyedge, a company working closely with Thales Australia on personnel monitor- ing technologies such as its ‘SmartLanyard’, which can op- erate in communication degraded environments. A proof of concept demonstration was conducted on the final day of the tradeshow in front of Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman on Thales’ demonstration vessel alongside Cockle Bay Wharf.
Fortifyedge is an export success story, having previously won a US Air Force contract to develop real-time ‘behav- ioural authentication’ software to assist in tracking and locating personnel and assets. The contract came through the US Government R&D ‘Small Business Innovation Re- search’ program.
Another SME exhibiting on the Tasmania stand was Hobart-based Liferaft Systems Australia, which is provid- ing its unique maritime evacuation systems to both of the UK’s Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, all of the Royal Navy’s Type 26 frigates, and for RAN’s forthcoming Hunter
class frigates. Each of the company’s world-first direct ship- to-liferaft evacuation systems can extract 600 personnel to safety in less than 30 minutes.
Thales Australia also became the first defence industry prime to commit to the University of Tasmania’s Maritime Innovation and Design Precinct, partnering with the Aus- tralian Maritime College to develop to develop sonar testing equipment for the RAN. Thales is involved in upgrading the sonar systems on the Collins Class submarines.
“Thales’s presence at the Precinct aims to encourage the development of new technologies and capabilities, including a sovereign acoustic testing capability for the next generation of Australian sonar technology, enhancing the capability of Australian submarine and surface ships over the decades ahead,” CEO Chris Jenkins said. “We will be working with AMC and industry participants like AMOG Consulting on advanced acoustic measurements to be taken at a wide range of speeds, over a number of distances, and with a high degree of precision.”
The agreement follows the establishment of a sonar testing facility to take advantage of Tasmania’s deep, cold and quiet lakes, which has reportedly generated advanced technology exports worth hundreds of millions. ■
BELOW: Liferaft Systems Australia is providing its unique maritime evacuation systems to both of the UK’s Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, all of the Royal Navy’s Type 26 frigates, and for RAN’s forthcoming Hunter class frigates.