The Victorian Government has announced the award of over $800,000 to the eleven recipients of the Supply Chain Uplift Program’s (SCUP) fifth round of funding. The announcement was made at Hanwha Defence Australia’s (HDA) Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) at the Avalon Airport Industrial Precinct, with representatives from state and local government and the recipient companies present.
The program was established by the Victorian Government in November 2021 with over $1.3 million awarded in previous rounds. This latest round is awarding over $800,000 to eleven companies. The funds are used to help recipients better position themselves to support HDA and win additional work from major defence businesses through initiatives including systems or facilities upgrades, obtaining necessary industry accreditations, and further research and development programs.
“The Defence industry in Victoria plays a significant role in providing jobs, employing 29,000 people and forming a $10.9 million part of our economy,” Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing Colin Brooks said. “It’s a very important part of our manufacturing story in the state and we want to make sure we continue to grow that sector.”
The successful companies from this latest round are Blueroom Simulations, EnyGy, Lunar Outpost, R&I Instrument & Gear Co., Ribcraft Marine, Ronson Gears, Skills Leap Australia, Stahl Metall, Total Precision, TRJ Engineering and Vokke.
Following the announcement, those present were provided with a tour of the H-ACE facility’s main hall which includes warehousing and work areas for the production of AS9 Huntsman Self-Propelled Howitzers and AS10 Armoured Ammunition Resupply Vehicles. The Huntsman facility, office building and test facilities including a 1.2km track are part of Phase One of the H-ACE facility. Phase Two is currently under construction to establish a second hall which will be used from 2026 onwards for production of the Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
“There has been a lot of investment in Victoria by Hanwha before any vehicles are produced,” HDA’s General Manager Corporate, Dean Richie said. “Phase One represents about $170 million while Phase Two will be another $50 to $60 million.”
Visible during the tour was the first Australian produced Huntsman including its chassis and turret, which Richie said would be completed during the current year. An additional three Huntsman turrets have been received from Elphinstone in Tasmania and were in the process of being fitted with external plating and other equipment. In an adjacent part of the building could be seen three chassis that were understood to be the first three AS21 Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicles undergoing fit out and preparations while waiting for their turrets to be supplied.
“The industrial base of Victoria is unmatched in all of the country, and we see Victoria playing a key role in Australia’s defence,” said Brooks.