Defence Trailblazer invests $135 million in defence R&D

The Adelaide-based Defence Trailblazer has invested some $135 million in 35 industry led projects as of the end of the first quarter of 2025, with another 19 projects in the pipeline. These projects, the Trailblazer says, will fast-track the translation of defence Research and Development (R&D) activities. They involve 26 different industry partners and represent R&D aligned to Australian defence requirements in areas of strategic priority.

The R&D projects are led by the Defence Trailblazer’s industry partners and academics at one or both of the Defence Trailblazer universities, the University of Adelaide and UNSW. A majority of the projects are led by Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs), reflecting Defence Trailblazer’s commitment to investing in Australia’s innovation ecosystem.

Through its Advanced Innovation Fund, Defence Trailblazer’s Technology Development and Acceleration (TDA) portfolio funds projects across five key priority areas: Quantum Materials, Technologies & Computing; Defensive Hypersonics & Countermeasures; Information Warfare & Advanced Cyber Technologies; Robotics, Autonomous Systems & AI; and Defence Space Technologies. Four of these are technologies are identified as technology priorities in “Accelerating Asymmetric Advantage”, Defence’s Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy.

Defence Trailblazer’s Accelerating Sovereign Industrial Capabilities (ASIC) grant funding program was established in 2024 to enable faster commercialisation of R&D activities. The projects are closely aligned with the Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities (SDIPs) outlined in the Defence Industry Development Strategy, to strengthen Australia’s defence capabilities now and into the future.

Some 12 ASIC projects are currently underway, to be completed by December 2026. The industry partners include Akula Tech, Bluerydge, CAE Australia, Electric Motor Power, Lockheed Martin Australia, M&C Saatchi World Services, Praxis Labs, QuantX Labs, REQUIEM Systems, Space Machines Company, and UBIQUT.

“The ASIC and TDA programs have provided Defence Trailblazer partners with different opportunities to engage with university academics to meet their needs,” said Dr Margaret Law, General Manager of TDA at Defence Trailblazer. “Many of our partners have leveraged support from several of our programs across R&D, workforce and innovation.”

Along with R&D project funding, industry partners are able to access workforce skilling and attraction programs. Defence Trailblazer says it also also uplifts research commercialisation activities through the Defence, Industry & Academia Military Innovation & Commercialisation (DINAMIC) program, which has supported more than 30 innovators and researchers to develop technology that can contribute to Australia’s strategic defence capability.

“We are thrilled to support our industry and academic partners to accelerate the translation of cutting-edge research to commercially ready products that will uplift sovereign capabilities for Defence and support a workforce with critical skills for defence industry,” said Dr Sanjay Mazumdar, Executive Director of Defence Trailblazer.