The NSW Defence Innovation Network (DIN) Strategic Investment Initiative is pioneering the development of integrated undersea acoustic communications and sensing technologies to enable long-distance, reliable covert communications.
The $500,000 project, funded by the NSW Government and the Commonwealth’s Next Generation Technologies Fund, will deliver a prototype based on orthogonal time-frequency space signalling.
In light of the recent Australian, United Kingdom, United States (AUKUS) trilateral security partnership announcement, the DIN is pleased to be leading Australia’s efforts in delivering on key AUKUS objectives that include areas such as artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, underwater capabilities and quantum technologies.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney and Minister for Industry and Trade Stuart Ayres said the project demonstrated NSW’s leadership in both knowledge generation and translation into successful commercialisation and utilisation by the Australian Defence Force.
“This critical covert undersea sensing and communications project will lead to greater opportunities through increased collaboration between industry and academia to commercialise defence technologies and create jobs for the people of NSW.”
The project will be a collaboration between Macquarie University, The University of Newcastle, The University of Sydney, University of Wollongong, UNSW, University of Technology Sydney and Western Sydney University.
NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte said the initiative exemplified the DIN’s drive to accelerate commercialisation by connecting industry with research to deliver solutions to high-priority defence sector challenges.
NSW DIN Director Professor Bradley Williams said the project will enhance Australia’s undersea sensing and communications capabilities in difficult undersea environments.
NSW Defence Advocate Air Vice-Marshal (Ret) Kym Osley said the NSW DIN Strategic Investment Initiative is another great opportunity to connect Defence and industry with the strengths and capabilities of NSW universities, and aligns directly with the NSW Government’s Defence and Industry Strategy: Strong, Smart and Connected.
