Raytheon Australia’s Post

Making it easier to do business 🤝 Do you want to add SME capabilities to your Defence supply chain? Minimising barriers to entry for SMEs wanting to break into the Defence industry was a significant benefit for Australian community founding member Babcock Australia & New Zealand. Interested in joining other primes and suppliers? https://lnkd.in/eYJnFySm #JOSCARAU #JOSCAR #Defence #SupplierCompliance #SupplyChain #Australia

The concept for the M113AS4 APC programme was first raised in 1978, or so I was told. The upgrade contract awarded in 2002 was to upgrade circa 360 vehicles, creating a fleet containing Armoured Person Carriers with a turret, Fitters vehicles capable of carrying & changing an engine in the field, Recovery vehicles, Ambulance, Command vehicle and logistics vehicles. These “upgrade” meant stripping hulls, cutting them in half, lengthening them to add an additional wheel, fitting them out with all new kit. That meant a new engine, drive train, track, etc. Did mention it included designing all of this and testing it - rigorously? The project had issues - technical, program and budget. The contract was in five currencies with subcontractors with design responsibilities spread around the globe. Design and production were in different states. At one stage Defence took advice on terminating the contract. And despite it all, the initial vehicles were tested and approval for production was received, along with a request to deliver an additional 70 vehicles. The reports from testing that I heard were that the people on the ground loved them. They were faster, accelerated well, stopped on a dime, pivoted on the spot. They weren’t an upgrade but a whole new vehicle. The last of these rolled off the line in 2012. The people that worked on developing these vehicles were amazing - defence, contractors & subcontractors - we still talk about the experience as one of the best some 10 years on, we are still connected through the experience. So when people talk about these vehicles being old, yes, a piece of their heart is but there is so much more to the story. Thanks Drew for the post about LND400. The M113 experience was how we met! #M113 #APC #TenixDefence #baesystems

Today a room full of 1000 defence industry personnel heard DEPSEC Chris Deeble state his desire to reduce the time, cost and paperwork burden of solicitation by Defence. Why is this important: If it can be measured, you can be held to account. So, giving a real metric, one that CASG and his leadership, can be measured against in 2 - 5 years is a step forward in accountability from the Australian Government and Defence more broadly. Another key takeaway from Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group's Defence Industry 2023 Event in Canberra was DepPM Richard Marles' comments about how having a strong Defence Export base speaks to the viability and scalability of Australia's industrial base. This helps Australia be taken more seriously on a global stage. Why is this important: Export support from Government (state and federal) is there. But our experience reveals you must be serious, ready and engaged. Plonking your backside on a TDA stand and waiting for the riches to arrive won't cut it any longer. You need an export strategy, you need on the ground support in foreign markets, and help is available. Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), Matt Hill, Evan Read, Thomas M Smith, Jen Dainer, George Di Scala, Matthew Wood, Defence Australia, #TeamDefenceAustralia #TDA

A stronger ‘defence centre’ a big theme of today in the defence world. Two significant announcements, including a new procurement challenge and integration function in Strategic Command to drive adoption of emerging multi-use capabilities and a bold new Military HQ concept and new leadership structures outlined by Labour Party (UK)’s John Healey. Welcome and sensible announcements on the surface but unless this has real political capital and buy in linking back to the #defencecommandpaper then this will fail as other defence re-organisations have done. Culture eats strategy for breakfast after all. Additionally, the procurement use cases in the Integrated MOD procurement model are powerful examples of agility in defence acquisition in action to bring on stream new technologies but they lack the transparency of the funding routes taken, the SROs, the lead project delivery vehicles - all area which make it hard for new market entrants in defence and something that still needs to be addressed to diversify the industrial base fully. Disappointing lack of discussion around the ecosystems and clear routes to market to make this happen. UK Ministry of Defence Defence Procurement Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) #defence #procurement

Transport and Logistics are a critical capability of Defence and the Defence Industry. It’s great recognition of WRF broad knowledge and expertise that we have been appointed to the the leading Defence publication to help raise our industries profile and importance #logistics #supplychains #defence

Seven Australian businesses have been awarded grants worth a total of $3.8 million to strengthen Australia's defense, boost the economy, and encourage innovation. Advanced Navigation (NSW) - $830,665 Frontline Safety Australia (NSW) - $494,343 APS Adelaide Profile Services (SA) - $781,018 QuantX Labs(SA) - $589,000  Redline Engineering (VIC) - $676,793 Muir Engineering Group (TAS) - $300,000  George Lovitt Manufacturing - $150,000 The Albanese Government is strongly committed to supporting a thriving sovereign Australian Defence industry, which is the cornerstone of delivering the national Defence priorities outlined by the Defence Strategic Review, said Pat Conroy, Minister for Defence Industry. "These grant programs support Australian businesses to continue world-class manufacturing, serving Australia’s Defence needs, and providing the boost that’s needed to turn their cutting-edge capabilities into successful defence exports.” #defence #innovation #businessgrowth

How will the Australian Defence industry benefit from JOSCAR? Thousands of Australian SMEs will have the opportunity to work under one supply chain system that will: 🔴Slash red tape 📉Reduce costs of doing business ...with the Australian Department of Defence and major primes in the nation’s defence sector, like Boeing. Watch the response to JOSCAR AU here: https://lnkd.in/eBKDCRRZ #JOSCARAU #JOSCAR #Defence #SupplierCompliance #SupplyChain #Australia

Make UK Defence Summit 2023 Exceptional engagement from the primes within the defence industry with SMEs. With their current and maybe new supply chain! Following insightful speeches and then joining a panel including: Amanda Wood FCIPS FCILT FIoL, BAE Systems, the latest Make UK Defence member, welcoming greater engagement with SMEs. Sharing the opportunity to support their record breaking £66bn order book. Sharing plans of a new SME web page on how to engage and reach new opportunities. Improving access and collaboration. Robert Wilson, AWE, as they seek materials and capabilities from all areas of #ukmfg. Seeking partners to learn with and learn from. In search for supplier resilience and to incubate new ideas. Rory Breen, Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), explaining that security threats are clearly ever evolving and therefore procurement strategies reflect that. The UK defence land systems industry is world leading. As it innovates, invests in people and improves productivity. At least 60% of their boxer, armoured vehicle programme is UK content. Their UK business footprint has doubled in size since their 2019 inception. Backing #ukmfg