Lockheed Martin Australia has announced the award of seven contracts to Australian industry and academic organisations for a combined value of $525,000 to author White Papers on the development of novel and emerging advanced technologies in support of Australia’s Attack Class submarine combat system.
This is the third cycle of research and development (R&D), which is funded under the Future Submarine Combat System Integrator Program, bringing the total awarded to date to over A$2m across 19 industry and research organisations.
The R&D program is based on an on-going 9-month cyclic process funded by the Commonwealth and administered under the Lockheed Martin Australia contract. Each R&D cycle consists of proposals from industry and academia against a set of published R&D topics.
After a competitive review and assessment, selected responses are awarded a contract to fund development of a White Paper. Upon completion of the White Papers, further contracts may be awarded to selected respondents for ongoing capability research.
Two earlier R&D cycles (Cycle 1 and Cycle 2) are currently underway with those White Papers currently being assessed for longer term funding.
“Lockheed Martin Australia congratulates the seven new R&D contract recipients and we look forward to seeing their technology concepts continue to develop as White Papers,” Joe North, Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin Australia and NZ, said. “With a total of 19 unique Australian industry and research organisations participating to date, the Attack Class Combat System R&D program demonstrates Australia’s world-class sovereign capabilities will play a critical role in delivering a regionally superior submarine fleet.”
A total of 27 responses were received across the six Cycle 3 R&D topics, with seven successful organisations awarded contracts of $75,000 each: Solinnov, Curtin University, IPACS, Saab, EM Solutions, UniSA, and the University of Newcastle.
The news came around the same time as Naval Group revealed that 120 companies in Australia have applied to become tier one capability partners for the 12 new submarines, after the release of a landmark local manufacturing package worth almost $900 million.