Jobs Plus to

support digital engineering in NSW

Defence sector engineering, professional services, and business advisory consultancy ADROITA will receive New South Wales Government Jobs Plus support to assist them to expand their service offering in the state.

The female-led and veteran-owned company is based in Sydney, with employees in Canberra, Melbourne, Wollongong, and Adelaide.

ADROITA will use the Jobs Plus support to assist them to develop a New South Wales-based Defence-digital engineering capability with a globally competitive service offering that will include modelbased systems engineering, digital sovereign test and evaluation, modelling and simulation, digital twin development, and other advanced data analytics such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and decision support.

The company anticipates that the grant will create more than 30 new skilled jobs over the next two years and improve the productivity of the NSW economy by leading the transition to digital engineering.

“Digital Engineering is to the engineer what Industry 4.0 is to the manufacturer. Digital engineering requires the integration of modern digital enterprise systems with data driven techniques such as decision support and data engineering, modelling and simulation and digital systems engineering, to provide a modern, integrated approach to manage the lifecycles of complex defence systems from concept through to disposal,” said CEO of ADROITA, Ms Sarah Pavillard.

BAE jobs for the boys, and girls

BAE Systems Australia aims to recruit 6,500 people over the next five years and kicked off a national recruitment drive at the air show.

Two events showcased the diverse career opportunities available in the defence industry.

On Wednesday 1 March (at the AMDA Tech Zone), BAE Systems hosted an event with Right Management, With You With Me and the Department of Veteran Affairs.

On Thursday 2 March, BAE launched the recruitment for its 2024 graduate program. There are more than 100 graduate roles available across its national business next year.

BAE on the RAZER’s edge

RAZER is a low cost air-launched precision guided munition designed to transform a 40-50kg standard non guided munition into a precision air launched weapon at low cost.

The RAZER system consists of a wing/ body kit and tail unit equipped with a powered GPS/INS guidance control and navigation system, aimed at operations from Uncrewed Combat Air Vehicles (UCAV) and Rotary Wing aircraft.

“RAZER can meet urgent local and overseas demand for low-cost sovereign munition solutions that could be deployed from the air. It could deliver a powerful and affordable battlefield strike capability for users globally,” BAE Systems Australia Chief Executive Officer Ben Hudson said. The ability to deploy RAZER from an airborne platform and glide to target would dramatically increase the weapon’s range and provide a significant stand-off range for the launch platform.

Ghost Bat

Boeing’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat Australian supplier base has increased by 60 percent – to 55 suppliers – just four years after initial concept unveiling.

Making its public debut at Avalon 2023, the MQ-28 is the first Australian-designed, developed and manufactured military combat aircraft in half-a-century.

“The support of agile local suppliers has been vital to the rapid manufacture of this revolutionary uncrewed aircraft and its payloads, which will support a range of missions,” said Glen Ferguson, director MQ-28 Global Program, Boeing Australia.

“The Boeing MQ-28 program proves Australian industry can create a seamless link between airpower capability needs, local innovation and job opportunities.”

BAE Australian Cluster

BAE Systems Australia has become the first Defence prime to enter a partnership with Advanced Fibre Cluster, a group of organisations leading the innovation of advanced fibre and composite technology capabilities in Australia. The partnership was made official at a signing ceremony at Avalon Airshow.

The Advanced Fibre Cluster is pioneering a sovereign capability. Its innovations will complement BAE Systems’ work in the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordinance (GWEO) Enterprise.

Led by companies located in the Geelong region, the Advanced Fibre Cluster (AFCG) provides investment opportunities for the Victorian economy and local industry.

“The AFCG was established with funding from Deakin University and a world leading group of domestic manufacturers situated in WaurnPonds, with a mission to enhance knowledge, innovation and collaboration within Composites and Carbon Fibre materials,” said AFCG CEO David Buchanan.

Lovitt Technologies Australia and Marand Precision Engineering are two suppliers applying innovative solutions to develop the fighter-like aircraft with Boeing. Program capability partner, BAE Systems Australia has also signed an extension of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as a shared commitment to the development of a sustainable, sovereign MQ-28 program. More than 35 Australian companies have contributed to the Ghost Bat program. It is the first military combat aircraft to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years.

“Many of those members now lead the world in both product, design and capability from Victoria, exporting product and research innovation globally. Examples include Carbon Revolution, Quickstep, Sykes who are all founding members.

“The mission for the AFCG is to continue to collaborate, innovate and lead development of

Advanced Fibres with the world’s top scientific and manufacturing minds.

“We are excited that the addition of BAE Systems Australia to the group will ensure the continuation and focus on domestic capability and the growth of Geelong and Victoria as a national centre of excellence for research and domestic production programs.”