South Australia's leadership in defence research is being recognised with an $18 million dollar funding boost from the Federal Government.
Our State is once again punching above its weight, receiving almost a third of the $60 million dollars up for grabs under the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator's (ASCA) Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDT) program.
This round of the Federal Government program is aimed at advancing quantum and counter disinformation technologies, for example, enhancing the accuracy and resilience of Defence's communications systems or developing tools to detect and respond to deliberate spreading of false information.
The four South Australian grant recipients are Consunet Pty Ltd, QuantX Labs, University of Adelaide and University of South Australia.
They'll receive the following funding:
- Consunet Pty Ltd - $3,146,000
- QuantX Labs - $3,264,800 and $3,146,007
- University of Adelaide - $1,800,500 and $3,280,688
- University of South Australia - $3,167,452
This investment is a testament to the State's growing capabilities in these areas, supported by targeted State Government programs including the Defence Innovation Partnership's Activator Fund, which recently sought applications for funding aligned to the Information Warfare technology priority in the Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy.
ASCA's EDT program, which has signed 21 contracts with Australian universities and industry partners, aligns with the National Defence Strategy and the Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy.
It aims to push the boundaries of scientific knowledge and develop capabilities that deter hostile acts against Australia and its region.
The EDT funding will support long-term partnerships between scientists, military end-users, and innovators, positively shaping Australia's defence innovation ecosystem.
As put by Stephen Mullighan
This is a terrific result for South Australia.
Our State has long been a leader in advanced defence technologies and this is becoming even more important for our nation's defence.
South Australia's strong representation in receiving close to $18 million of the $60 million available underscores our role as a national leader in defence innovation and technology development.
As put by Professor Andre Luiten, Managing Director and co-founder of QuantX Labs
QuantX is pleased to have been awarded two contracts under this highly competitive scheme.
These funds will allow us to push our products even further ahead of the competition and secure sovereign leadership of critical fields that underpin national security.
We look forward to working closely with ASCA, and Defence more broadly, to integrate this capability into their operations.
