DIP awards $3 million to seven Australian SMEs

The Adelaide-based Defence Innovation Partnership (DIP) has awarded contracts worth $3 million to seven companies under its separate Activator and Collaborative Research Funds (CRF).

The DIP is one of five state and Defence co-sponsored research and innovation networks under the Australian Defence Science and Universities Network (ADSUN). ADSUN connects Defence with world-class researchers from universities, industry and the broader research community. The Defence Innovation Partnership is a collaborative initiative of Defence SA, Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) and South Australia’s three public universities, the University of Adelaide, Flinders University and the University of South Australia.

The Activator Fund, which first started in 2023, has awarded three projects a total of $2.4 million, while the CRF, now in its eighth round, has awarded four projects $150,000 each.

The Activator Fund was created to enable larger-scale R&D and accelerate the transition of technology into operational contexts, says the DIP, while the CRF is designed to support emerging research and prototype development and innovation. Across the seven previous rounds the CRF has provided more than $3.4 million in state government support across 35 South Australian-based projects.

Under the Activator Fund, $1.6 million has been awarded to Fleet Space Technologies and partners for the SENTRI (Sensor-based Environmental sense-making Network for Threat Response and Information) project. The SENTRI project is set to transform how Defence gathers and uses information to respond to threats.

This initiative will combine advanced sensor technology with satellite networks to deliver fast and reliable data in a wide range of environments. The technology will have a number of practical uses, says the DIP, such as real-time threat detection, disaster response and recovery and border protection. SENTRI could also be applied across the agriculture and mining sectors.

Fleet Space Technologies Co-Founder and Chief Exploration Officer Matt Pearson said the SENTRI project will provide rapid, resilient and sovereign communication networks for Defence.

“Fleet Space’s breakthrough Centauri satellite network, integrated with advanced sensor networks, paves the way for real-time, actionable defence intelligence needed for threat detection, disaster response, and border protection on a continental scale,” said Mr Pearson.

A further two projects each received $400,000 related to ‘understanding and countering influence’, crucial in a world where conflicts are increasingly unfolding in the information and digital domains.

Amongst the four projects awarded under the CRF is research that seeks to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of naval port operations by addressing challenges posed by the accumulation of microorganisms, such as bacteria and algae, on naval ships and docks.

“These cutting-edge projects will bring together new research teams to deliver advanced solutions in priority areas, including undersea capabilities, trusted autonomy and cyber security,” Chief Defence Scientist, Professor Tanya Monro AC, said.

“The might of Australia’s universities and industry partners plays a vital role in contributing to home-grown Defence capability and providing the Australian Defence Force an asymmetric advantage.”

The winning projects are:

1. Mapping Pacific Networks ($400,000)

Lead organisation: University of Adelaide
Partners: Consunet and DSTG
Objective: This project focuses on developing Defence engagement programs in the Pacific Islands region by mapping networks and influence in the region.

2. Understanding and countering online influence ($400,000)

Lead organisation: University of Adelaide
Partners: Flinders University and Fivecast
Objective: This project will develop a model and prototype tool to help Defence end-users understand how online communities and informal networks evolve over time.

3. Sensor-based Environmental sense-making Network for Threat Response and Information (SENTRI) ($1.6 million)

Lead organisation: Fleet Space Technologies
Partners: SmartSat CRC, Safety from Space, University of South Australia, Insight via Artificial Intelligence, Swordfish Computing, and DSTG
Objective: Develop and demonstrate SENTRI, a powerful and adaptable system to help Defence respond effectively to changing threats and environments.

CRF ROUND 8 ($150,000 PER PROJECT)

1. Understanding environmental impacts on biofilm growth at key naval ports

Lead Organisation: Flinders University
Partners: University of South Australia, QUT, DSTG, Australian Naval Infrastructure (ANI)
Objective: Develop a predictive tool using Bayesian modelling to understand how environmental factors and antifouling materials influence biofilm growth at naval ports.

2. Distributed multi-agent TEWA (threat evaluation and weapons assignment) algorithms for force-level battle management: a scalable approach for real-time decision-making in dynamic combat environments

Lead Organisation: University of Adelaide
Partners: Flinders University, DSTG
Objective: Design and implement a novel Threat Evaluation and Weapon Assignment (TEWA) algorithm that can operate effectively in distributed, multi-agent environments.

3. Developing an underwater recharging station to maximise the endurance and mission effectiveness of autonomous/uncrewed underwater vehicles

Lead Organisation: Flinders University
Partners: University of South Australia, DSTG, EfficientSee
Objective: Explore two different technology options (hydrogen fuel cells and Stirling engines) for underwater recharging stations and determine the most feasible option, including the requirement for commercialisation.

4. A tool for simulation-based evaluation of human-driven processes for critical infrastructure operations resilience (HDP-CIOR tool)

Lead Organisation: Flinders University
Partners: University of South Australia, Priori Analytica, DSTG
Objective: Develop a tool, the HR-CIOR, that will model an interactive virtual operational environment with multi-vector disruptions and present it as a serious game simulating the Protective Security posture of critical systems, infrastructure, people and processes.