South Australia’s defence and space industry will be on the world stage this month at major conferences as businesses look to score a piece of the growing pipeline of work associated with the immense AUKUS pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Defence SA, the South Australian Space Industry Centre, and delegations of South Australian companies will attend three major conferences across the United States and United Kingdom over the next two weeks.
This includes the London-hosted Undersea Defence Technology (UDT) from April 14 to 16, while the United States hosts Sea Air Space in Maryland from April 19 to 22 and the 41st Space Symposium in Colorado Springs from April 13 to 16.
Companies in the space and defence industries will be showcasing their technologies and inventions, particularly aiming to demonstrate how they can work within the AUKUS framework.
Defence SA and some SA companies will also participate in trade missions before and after these events, allowing them to connect with international companies, defence agencies and research partners.
Both Adelaide and Flinders universities will attend at least one event, with other attendees including SA-based businesses including PMB Defence, Neumann Space, and Silentium Defence.
Defence SA Chief Executive Matt Opie said the events “allow us to showcase what South Australia does best – delivering advanced capability across the defence and space domains to trusted global partners”.
“Our industry has consistently shown it can compete and win on the world stage, securing contracts with international customers,” Opie said.
“This month’s program builds on that momentum, providing platforms to drive export opportunities, attract investment and strengthen partnerships across AUKUS and allied nations.”
Among the companies represented at the two United States events is Adelaide-based organisation Inovor Technologies, which specialises in satellite technology. All Inovor’s hardware is manufactured in Australia, and it is owned and operated in SA.
Inovor Technologies manager of business development and sales Thomas Hastwell said the events were “an amazing opportunity”.
“It’s hugely, hugely important, and exposes us to understanding what’s happening in the marketplace, but also new potential relationships and new people, new potential customers,” Hastwell said.
“We’ve got really good support from the South Australian government and the space agency. The Australian Space Agency, based in Adelaide, draws a whole lot of awareness and attention to the industry.
“Of the 40-odd businesses we’ve got here in the Australian tent, a good majority of them are based in Adelaide.”
Hastwell said his company would be able to participate in the AUKUS program in some form.
“There’s an AUKUS clearance that you can have now, which enables you to speak with American companies more easily and share technologies and technological information without the dramas of what you would have to go through previously to share it. So we’re part of that,” he said.
“Obviously AUKUS has a massive focus on subs, but there will be a connection to space further down the track.”