REDARC Defence & Space to showcase INEOS Grenadier: REDARC Defence & Space announced it will unveil its new Mission-Capable INEOS Grenadier at Land Forces Exposition 2024. The INEOS Grenadier, with its rugged design, extensive factory features, and customisation options, emerged as the ideal platform. REDARC Defence & Space acquired a 2023 INEOS Grenadier Trialmaster Edition and began a comprehensive customisation process. To equip the Grenadier for the demanding missions in remote locations, the company integrated a comprehensive suite of power, communications, and recovery gear. The vehicle’s intended use in diverse terrains, climates, and road conditions, including the setup of communications repeaters, base stations, sensor networks, or test equipment in remote regions like Northern South Australia, the Northern Territory, or Queensland, necessitated collaboration with partners providing high-quality, reliable products for harsh environments.
Supacat unveils MUV platform: Supacat has launched its new Medium Utility Vehicle (MUV) platform at Land Forces 2024. The MUV fills the gap between the existing HMT and ATMP products, with a 3.5T payload providing an exceptional general utility vehicle for off road and littoral operations. Continuing Supacat’s design heritage, the Supacat Medium Utility Vehicle (MUV) provides exceptional mobility with a high payload and a flexible load bed to provide utility capability across the board. In addition, the MUV maximises the use of automotive COTS componentry to provide an affordable acquisition offering, while at the same time ensuring the supportability of the platform in almost an operating area in the region. The MUV can be easily re-rolled in response to emerging technologies and equipped for very high readiness defence forces. Matt Grech, Supacat Head of Future Business, said, “The MUV continues the inheritance of Supacat products by combining high mobility and high payload with liberating modularity. We believe the MUV will find favour with regional forces seeking to maximise capability while being able to support the product locally from existing resources and infrastructure.”
RAIDER Targetry unveils ATTLAS Integrated Mobile Targetry System: RAIDER Targetry will unveil its latest integrated mobile targetry system at Land Forces. The ATTLAS Integrated Mobile Targetry System (ATTLAS) is RAIDER Targetry’s most recent iteration of their autonomous training system that can operate at speeds in excess of 40 kph across all terrains providing military personnel with moving targets that can swiftly manoeuvre in much the same way as the real vehicles do. The ATTLAS system comprises three key components: 1. ATTLAS Uncrewed Ground Vehicle – A battery-powered, autonomous tractor that operates at speeds up to and over 40 kph across all terrains, a unique global performance attribute. The tractor can be operated in either autonomous or tele-operated modes. In autonomous mode, the tractor is pre-programmed to follow GPS waypoint coordinates for autonomous operation. In tele-operating mode, the tractor is remotely manoeuvred by a human operator via a Ground Control Station, comfortably located at a safe, authorised position up to 1000+ km away. 2. ATTLAS Trailer – Carries the target behind the tractor to protect the tractor from direct hits during live ammunition strikes. 3. RAIDERFlute Targets – 2D and 3D full-scale vehicle replicas, including main battle tanks, armoured/infantry fighting vehicles, logistics trucks, and enemy helicopters. Components are digitally printed and profiled on lightweight and recyclable material for ease of transport and assembly. Targets can be enhanced with thermal heat generating signature, radar and other electronic signature emulation. Targets can be mounted on the ATTLAS trailer for full mobility, or stand-alone static target and decoys, and even to RAIDER’s AutoStatic deployable target lifter to emulate enemy vehicles ‘cresting’ terrain.
Anduril showcasing Roadrunner: Anduril is displaying its Roadrunner autonomous air vehicle for the first time in Australia at Land Forces. Roadrunner is a radically new, recoverable, cost-effective kinetic interceptor for ground-based air defence. The Roadrunner modular twin-jet powered autonomous air vehicle operates at high subsonic speed. It takes off vertically, identifies, follows and intercepts a wide variety of aerial threats, including Group 3 UAS (and above). If there’s no need to destroy the target, Roadrunner can simply return to base and land at a pre-designated location for immediate refuelling and reuse. This radical shift in operational concept allows for large-scale, early defensive launches at extraordinarily low cost, increasing redundancy for higher probability of lethality and enhancing the ability to simultaneously engage many targets. Roadrunner is in use with U.S. Department of Defense customers and is providing air defence capabilities in some of the most complex operational environments around the world. Alongside Roadrunner, Anduril has a suite of products on display at Land Forces including Anvil (Counter UAS), Altius 600 and 700 variants (ISR and loitering munitions), WISP (Wide-area Infrared Sensing system) and the Long Range Sentry Tower-42.
BAE Systems unveils uncrewed combat ground vehicle: BAE Systems Australia has unveiled a cutting-edge uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) that gives military commanders an added tactical option while keeping soldiers out of harm’s way. The Autonomous Tactical Light Armour System (ATLAS) Collaborative Combat Variant (CCV), a new, cost effective, modular, 8×8 UGV, has been designed and built leveraging BAE Systems’ world-leading expertise in autonomous technology, armoured vehicles and in collaboration with industry partners. The future battlefield will involve a mix of autonomous, semi-autonomous and human machine teams, generating combat mass and removing soldiers from many of the most dangerous tasks. ATLAS CCV will operate using high levels of autonomy both on and off-road, complementing crewed counterparts such as infantry fighting vehicles and main battle tanks [at a lower cost]. The vehicle incorporates existing, proven technologies to provide a cost-effective capability that is mission configurable and upgradable so that it continues to evolve to counter new and emerging technologies and threats. BAE Systems is continuously exploring innovative technology that provides armed forces with a tactical advantage in an ever-changing battlespace. The autonomy system at the core of the ATLAS CCV will ‘drive’ the vehicle, avoid obstacles, route plan, and make tactical decisions. ATLAS CCV is armed with a new, lightweight, affordable, highly automated medium calibre turret system called ‘VANTAGE ATSTM’, designed for use on uncrewed platforms. Importantly, the turret is designed with a ‘human in-the-loop’ targeting system.
Rheinmetall showcases military digital capability at Land Forces 2024: Rheinmetall, the largest supplier of military vehicles to the Australian Defence Force is exhibiting the company’s portfolio of strength and capability for future land forces with combat, combat logistics and dismounted combat on display at Land Forces 2024. Nathan Poyner, Managing Director, Rheinmetall Defence Australia, said this year’s display was a digital capability showcase that included Rheinmetall Defence Australia’s Combat Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Subsystem (CISRS) software. “CISRS implements the digital backbone of the Boxer CRV fleet and follows a modular and open systems design pattern. CISRS currently hosts richly integrated software sourced from across Defence industry, other Land programs. Rheinmetall’s Land Forces Display establishes our knowledge as a digitisation systems integrator through the dismounted and mounted Battle Management System (BMS) software to both Integrated Soldier Systems and the complex vehicle system of the Boxer CRV. This provides the user a seamless common operating picture through mounted and dismounted forces with the Crew Terminal graphical user interface, a Software Development Kit adaptable for any vehicle platform. Communicating with the Boxer CRV via a simulated Tactical Communications Network is an Integrated Soldier System End User Device (Tactical Smart Phone) hosting the Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) BMS. Our experience in developing both Soldier Systems and Complex Vehicle Systems architectures enables Rheinmetall to be the digitisation provider of choice for the German Army and Hungarian Defence Force. Under the L400-2 program the CISRS software continues to be developed to expand its C4 capabilities to support a range of additional functions,” he added.
Babcock displaying soldier systems capability: Babcock Australasia (Babcock) will showcase a suite of leading soldier systems innovations at Land Force 2024, to highlight the effectiveness of industry partnerships in securing speed to capability and supporting Army’s transition to a Focused Force. As an integrated capability lifecycle manager, Babcock delivers valuable solutions to Defence made up of the right combination of bespoke industry products, packaged together as a fit-for-purpose resource. Two life-sized models will be on display at Babcock’s interactive stand demonstrating this approach. The first display figure will feature representations of a soldier optimised for amphibius operations to illustrate the Enhanced Force in Being. The second will reflect the Objective Integrated Force timeframes outlined in Defence’s Integrated Investment Plan. Babcock has been working with industry to identify capability gaps in solider systems and engaging with its supply chain to find and prototype solutions. The systems and technologies on display will demonstrate Babcock’s ability to collaborate across a diverse and agile industrial support network to generate capability aligned to the needs of a Future Integrated Force.
Lockheed Martin and Thales sign GMLRS teaming agreement: Lockheed Martin Australia and Thales Australia have signed a Teaming Agreement to explore the opportunities to advance the development and production of Solid Rocket Motors (SRM) for the Australian market. The purpose of the agreement is to collaborate, qualify and produce Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) Solid Rocket Motors and other components in support of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise. The Teaming Agreement production effort will focus on jointly developed tasks to produce an Australian SRM System, as well as to explore supply chain options to establish Australian industrial capability for related components. The collaboration will assess the possibility of future potential design, development, production or co-production of sub-components of the GMLRS missiles, and potentially inform Commonwealth considerations in establishing a resilient GWEO Enterprise that is globally competitive and may include the domestic manufacture of SRMs ranging from simple rockets to large, complex strategic motors. “Lockheed Martin is already a world-leader in missile systems and sub-systems, and partnerships with experienced, world-class companies like Thales advance our ability to enable the achievement of the Australian Government’s objectives under the GWEO Enterprise,” said Warren McDonald, Chief Executive Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand. Building upon the 2021 teaming agreement, the new agreement will support Lockheed Martin’s identification of Australian supply chain opportunities. This approach intends to support local manufacture of guided weapons and allow Lockheed Martin to further strengthen Australia’s national defence industrial base.
Hanwha Defence Australia, Hanwha Aerospace and Advanced Navigation sign MoU: Advanced Navigation, a world leader in assured positioning navigation and timing (APNT) technologies, with Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA), global leaders in spacecraft engines, aircraft components and defence solutions, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to co-develop strategic-grade APNT solutions. Signed on the opening day of Land Forces 2024 International Defence Exposition, the agreement will see the three companies collaborate on the development of high-performance inertial navigation systems (INS) for autonomous, airborne and crewed systems. This will be used for precision targeting and vehicle navigation in global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-contested environments across land and air domains. Under the agreement, the co-developed solutions will be integrated into Hanwha Aerospace’s global supply chain, aiding the advancement of the broader strategic APNT interests for Australia and international markets.
QinetiQ unveils Team TECSA: QinetiQ has formed “Team TECSA,” a collaborative initiative bringing together Australian industry and academia in response to the government’s National Defence Strategy and Defence Industry Development Strategy. The Defence Industry Development Strategy has identified Test and Evaluation, Certification and Systems Assurance (TECSA) as one of the Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities. The National Defence Strategy calls for an “all of nation” response to meet Australia’s defence needs. Through Team TECSA, QinetiQ is providing leadership to unify Australian industry and academia to build the workforce and infrastructure necessary to rapidly enhance Australia’s defence capabilities. By combining the strengths and expertise of industry members and academic institutions, Team TECSA aims to build a capable, resilient, and sustainable defence industry that meets Australia’s needs. Team TECSA invites all Australian industry and academia to contribute and collaborate within this sovereign T&E team. Each member has made significant investments to advance Australia’s defence T&E capabilities. Notably, QinetiQ has invested over $100 million in Australia over the last three years to build sovereign capabilities. Members of the team include: Current members of the QinetiQ-led Team TECSA include: ADROITA, AeroPM, Ascent, Priori Analytica, Aurizn, Bastion Defence Consulting, BMT, Flinders University, Omni, Pro-Logic Solutions, Shoal, Swinburne University of Technology, University of NSW, and ViPAC Engineers & Scientists.
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