ARM Hub defence accelerator to address industry inhibitors

Brisbane-based ARM Hub is seeking $12 million to establish a pilot Defence Technology Accelerator Program, in collaboration with its university and investment partners. This program would address key gaps in Australia’s defence manufacturing ecosystem, says ARM Hub CEO Dr Cori Stewart.

“There is an urgent need to harness the power of technology to support Australia’s defence capability to be better protected, mobile, and connected,” Dr Stewart said, announcing the program at Land Forces 2022.

The Department is investing significantly in programs such as the MQ-28A Ghost Bat or ‘Loyal Wingman’, the Anduril XLUUV program and the Sovereign Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise or GWEO.

“Projects such as these are fast-paced, high-technology programs which could generate enormous industry capability benefits if the SMEs pursuing them follow the right development and growth path,” she said.

She said the Accelerator model would be ideal for next-generation technology that needs to be exploited quickly to provide a battlefield advantage and which might need updating or replacing quite rapidly – like sensors on a ‘drone’, or the software controlling a weapon or combat management system.

“Some of these technologies need to be developed rapidly in a process that tolerates risk but also controls costs.”

Australia’s manufacturing industry and SMEs are rich in ideas and vision but face major hurdles in engaging with Defence. “The Accelerator will enable emerging technology providers to develop, demonstrate, and scale-up delivery of innovative Defence solutions in a rapid development process, which is something we don’t have access to at this time,” said Dr Stewart.

The ARM in the company’s name stands for Advanced Robotics and Manufacturing and its defence sector goal is to achieve three things, she says: to help Australian companies embrace modern manufacturing technology; to help Australian Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) respond better to ADF user needs; and to establish a Defence Accelerator that helps both Defence itself and industry develop warfighting solutions and deliver them to the front line much faster than currently.

Dr Stewart’s call for funding of a Defence Technology Accelerator was supported by Griffith Defence Network’s Professor Adam Findlay AO, a recently retired Army Major General.

“The ​Griffith Defence Network strongly supports the call to form a Defence Technology Accelerator ​in Queensland,” Professor Findlay said. “Such an initiative would greatly increase ​the rate of ​​technology ​adoption, and support the build-up of sovereign resilience, through actively promoting the uptake ​of world-leading Australian Industry Content ​into Defence.​”

The Defence Accelerator is, “not a silver bullet, but it does address some major inhibitors for Australian SME to participate in the Defence Industry,” Dr Stewart said.

“It will make the Defence Supply environment significantly less hostile to Australian SMEs and start-ups; increase sovereign manufacturing capability and Australian industry content; while also boosting capability overmatch.”

The Accelerator will address key hurdles for SMEs in working with Defence, including the significant investment in time and resources required to meet Defence compliance; the lack of knowledge of Defence procurement and the Defence ecosystem; and the lack of a stable mechanism to form consortia to respond comprehensively to Defence tenders.

“The Accelerator would act as a focal point for a ‘whole-of-ecosystem’ approach to supporting Australian SMEs, and ultimately the Warfighter,” said Dr Stewart. “It brings together in one program the marketplace of SMEs, primes, the Australian Defence Forces, along with the investment, skills and the talent required to make transformation happen.”