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The winners of the Counter Improvised Threats Grand Challenge, an initiative of Defence’s Next Generation Technologies Fund (Next Gen Tech Fund) were announced on Friday.
Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said $19 million had been awarded to universities and companies in SA ($5.5 million), Victoria ($4.5 million), Queensland ($3.9 million), WA ($2.9 million) and NSW ($2.4 million).
“Over 200 submissions were received and 40 proposals were shortlisted before the final winners were selected,” he said.
“Thirteen high-quality proposals from universities, industry and small business across five Australian states have been selected to develop technology solutions to combat growing threats to our nation’s security.
“These solutions will be delivered through a collaboration of 26 different organisations, representing a research effort spanning the national innovation enterprise.
“The successful proposals were received from the University of South Australia, University of Adelaide, University of Western Australia, University of Queensland, Flinders University and Queensland University of Technology as well as Lockheed Martin, CSIRO, L3Micreo, DefendTex, Teledyne, Tectonica and Rfteq.”
The outcomes of the winner’s proposals will be developed over the next four years into a single, prototype threat detection and defeat system, led by Defence.
The challenge, in its first year, seeks proposals from industry and academia to address the ever-growing incidence of improvised threats to Defence personnel and the public.
Commander Joint Counter Improvised Threat Task Force Brigadier John Shanahan said the threat of improvised devices has not only proliferated globally but has also expanded to include the improvised use of dual-use delivery platforms such as unmanned aerial vehicles, dual-use explosive and incendiary materials and components, and the improvised use of chemical, biological and radiological materials and agents.
“It is expected that these improvised threats will feature in the complex, contested and congested battle-space likely to be encountered by ADF elements in the future. They are also likely to be employed in the future by adversarial elements comprising both state and non-state actor groups, as well as terrorist/criminal networks and individuals.”
Next Gen Tech Fund complements the Defence Innovation Hub as the two core initiatives of the new Defence Innovation System, outlined in the Government’s Defence Industry Policy Statement.