Assistant Minister for Education, Anthony Chisholm has launched the Defence Trailblazer for Concept to Sovereign Capability project as part of the Australian Government’s Trailblazer Universities Program.
The Defence Trailblazer project worth $240 million, is a collaborative initiative creating innovative solutions to bolster Australia’s national security, new employment opportunities and growing the economy.
The project led by the University of Adelaide in partnership with University of New South Wales (UNSW), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and over 30 industry partners, will create approximately one hundred new products, one thousand new jobs and another 1400 additional jobs across the wider defence industry.
Launching the project in Adelaide, Assistant Minister Chisholm said that Australian university research is well-placed to strengthen the country’s security across the key areas of the project including, defensive hypersonics, defence space technologies and robotics.
“This research will directly contribute to an evolving defence sector in which technologies will be developed by Australians and commercialised through local companies and international partnerships,” Assistant Minister Chisholm said.
“It will also offer students the opportunity to study research degrees through the University of Adelaide and UNSW.”
Project partners including Boeing Defence Australia, CAE Australia and CISCO will contribute more than $140 million to the project over the next four years. This is in addition to the $50 million commitment through the Trailblazers Universities Program, as well as the University of Adelaide and UNSW’s contribution of $50 million.
The project is estimated to help deliver $1.5 billion in terms of net economic benefit for the Australian economy over the next 10 years.
The Australian Government’s $370.3 million Trailblazer Universities Program is led by six select universities with dedicated investment to accelerate Australia’s innovation agenda at speed and at scale.
Learn more about the Trailblazers Universities Program and Defence Trailblazer for Concept to Sovereign Capability.